Disavowed
by Theodore Hawkwood
Summary: Post X-men: First Class CIA Agent Moira MacTaggert is assigned a new mission. Teamed up with Captain Carl Allenby of the United Kingdom's Special Air Service, the two uncover a new threat, but are instantly disavowed. Can they survive to warn the world?
1. Prologue: Subject One

**Prologue: Subject One**

**Disclaimer: I do not own X-men First Class nor Kingdom Hearts. **

**Summary: After the events of X-men: First Class CIA Agent Moira MacTaggert is assigned a new mission, where she is teamed up with Captain Carl Allenby of the United Kingdom's Special Air Service. Together the two uncover a conspiracy, but are instantly disavowed. Can they survive to inform their respective governments? Or will their warnings of a new threat be forever silenced?**

* * *

Presidential Order 9-8. Designate: ZULU  
Washington, D.C., United States  
Moira MacTaggert Receiving Mission.  
0800 13 April 1963

Moira MacTaggert stood and straightened her skirt as the receptionist, a formidable older woman in her late thirties with graying hair, gestured curtly to her. She was still blinking sleep out of her eyes, it was Saturday and she had gone to bed rather late on 12 April 1963 and she wasn't expecting to have been called in.

It had been the clamor of the telephone, and the same statuesque Gorgon of few words telling her that Director McCone wanted to speak to her personally and that it was urgent. So she dressed, got into her car, and drove from her small apartment in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC to Langley, VA.

She hadn't even had time to grab a cup of coffee from the local diner, which she would have done under other circumstances.

The statuesque Gorgon led Moira into the office of Director John A. McCone. The sixty-one year old man sat behind his desk, reading a dossier of some kind. She noticed with more than a little dismay that Agent William Stryker was also in the room.

"Agent MacTaggert, glad to see you could make it on such short notice." Director McCone began. He had a dossier and a file on his desk.

"What's this about, sir?" Moira asked.

"What I am about to tell you cannot leave this room." McCone replied, "Four days ago a patrol of the British Special Air Service operating in Borneo encountered a mysterious creature, believed to be a mutant. It was killed in the encounter by the SAS patrol and what the British are calling Subject One was flown back to the United Kingdom for further analysis."

McCone handed Moira the file, which consisted of the official British report, redacted in quite a few areas. The basics were there, that the British SAS patrol had been patrolling on an operation near the Indonesian border when they encountered 'it'. From the reports it had taken several rounds from every weapon in the patrol to neutralize it.

McCone gave Moira a few more minutes to read through the report to glean what information she could before he continued, "Which brings us to your mission, MacTaggert. Officially you're acting as our consultant to MI6, given the fact that we have some knowledge of mutants."

"Barely any." William Stryker commented just barely audible. McCone fixed him with an annoyed glare, more at the fact that he'd interrupted his train of thought more than his snide remark at MacTaggert's offense.

"And unofficially?" Moira asked, inwardly she bristled, but given that Stryker outranked her she bit down the impulse to snap a remark back in his direction.

"Unofficially you're mission is to find out who precisely what the Brits know about mutants and if there is any sort of leak in our security." McCone replied, "Any questions?"

"First, why me?" Moira asked.

"Due to your recent experiences, memory loss notwithstanding, with the mutants you're one of the few that we know that can be of any help." McCone replied.

"I still can't believe you're sending a woman to do a man's job." Agent Stryker remarked.

"William, MacTaggert is best for the job. She prevented a war six months ago for Christ's sake." McCone remarked.

Moira felt more than a little heat and tension in the room. She couldn't remember anything of those events that happened six months ago, but evidently she had helped prevent World War III. Whatever happened it had caused Stryker to have it out for her and McCone to have faith enough to trust her with an important assignment and...

McCone handed Moira a dossier, "You'll be working with Captain Carl Allenby, of the United Kingdom's SAS. He was the patrol commander of the unit that encountered the mutant in Borneo."

Moira took the dossier and read through the contents. Inside was an official service photo of a British Army officer in his late twenties or early thirties with black hair and piercing grey eyes.

"Not much. Other than he's a distant relative of World War I Field Marshal Edmund Allenby. He served as a subaltern and a junior lieutenant with the Parachute Regiment in 1953 with a tour in Malaya before applying for and being selected by the United Kingdom's Special Air Service in 1954. In 1955 he returned to Malaya and served there until 1957." McCone said, "The dossier we've compiled has what we know about your contact."

"So when do I leave?" Moira asked.

"You leave for London out of Baltimore-Washington International Airport this afternoon at 1500. Your tickets are in the briefcase beside your chair." McCone said, "I highly suggest you pack and get to the airport before your flight."

Moira stood up, taking the dossier and the file before putting them into the briefcase beside the chair before she gathered the briefcase. She walked past Stryker before heading out of the office.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Stryker stand up to follow her. A few steps down the hall and he was away from too many prying eyes.

"You think you're up for this MacTaggert?" Stryker asked, seeming to be sneering.

"I think so. And Director McCone thinks so." Moira replied.

"This is one of the few times I question the boss. For all I know you've already been burned. Given that you can only recall a few details following the attack on HQ last year, and a kiss. Who knows if you're a sleeper for one of them." Stryker replied.

"I was examined and cleared by our psychiatrists and subjected to a polygraph test on multiple occasions, at least two of which were directly due to you. And I'm fairly sure the surveillance team I had following my every move for three months was your doing as well." Moira remarked.

"You're still compromised, MacTaggert, and if I had my way, you wouldn't even be going back to the typing pool. You'd be on your way out that door or to the nearest jail cell." Stryker said.

"Well, it's a good thing you're not in charge, Agent Stryker. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a flight to catch." Moira replied, doing her best to maintain her cool. She wasn't about to give Stryker the satisfaction of having gotten to her.

She headed out to the parking lot, got into her car and drove off to make her preparations to travel.

* * *

MI-6 Official Transmission. Authenticate: Alpha  
London, United Kingdom  
Captain Carl Allenby, 22 Special Air Service  
1300 13 April 1963

Carl Allenby stood beside a tall and slightly stoop shouldered older fellow in his late fifties with silver hair as the two of them looked out at the rain falling outside over the gray overcast London skies.

"Heard the Yanks are sending one of their agents over here across the pond. One of their lot had experience dealing with mutants." Matthew Stenner, a case officer with MI6, said.

"Really. When is he expected to turn up?" Allenby asked.

"She, actually." Stenner replied, "The CIA is sending a woman over."

"What do we know about her?" Allenby replied.

"Inquiring if she's single are we?" Stenner replied with a slightly sarcastic tone.

"Bugger off mate, I'd like to know who I'm working with." Allenby replied with a mildly amused tone.

"Right, you are a tad Army barmy these days." Stenner replied.

"I've got my share of tours if that's what you mean." Allenby replied, "I repeat, what do we know about this woman."

"Well, her name's Moira MacTaggert. She graduated with honors with a Masters in Political Science from Georgetown University in 1959 before joining the American Central Intelligence Agency. She's best known for her encounters with mutants, specifically the bloke Sebastian Shaw." Stenner replied, walking with long strides to a table in the conference room to grab a dossier, "The details we know, which aren't many, are in here."

Allenby took the file and leafed through it. Noticing of course there were quite a few parts redacted.

One thing that caught his eye, the transcript of her interview regarding an attack by mutants on the CIA Headquarters, and a very vague transcript of what followed. This was combined with some account of her playing a role of indeterminate significance preventing World War III somewhere in Cuba in the previous year's Cuban Missile Crisis.

There didn't appear to be any evidence of her having hit her head or any serious injury to account for the memory loss according to the parts of the CIA transcript that weren't redacted. Either way that would be something of interest to be brought up later.

"She's slated to arrive late tonight, and we've put her up in a hotel in the Vauxhall area and you'll be meeting her tomorrow morning." Stenner replied, "You're to work with her about Subject One. Given that your patrol ran across it in Borneo almost three weeks ago you're the most logical choice."

"Right, Stenner, I had that figured when you had me put on that helicopter with Subject One and flown all the way back to the UK from Borneo." Allenby replied.

"I'm certain your Troop Warrant Officer has the lot covered." Stenner replied, "At any rate, you've got a briefing with 'M' this afternoon."

Stenner was referring to Vice Admiral Sir Jason M. Dench, KCMG, and the head of MI6. He glanced at his wrist watch and said, "Right, head down the hall with me. M's pet peeve is tardiness and it's always best to be fifteen minutes early."

Allenby followed Stenner towards the inner sanctum of Vauxhall Cross, the MI6 headquarters. After Miss Kensington, M's secretary, called them in the two men were escorted into the office.

It was elegantly furnished with a portrait of Sir Jason M. Dench in his Royal Navy dress blues, volumes of books arranged neatly on hardwood shelves with a large wooden desk with a stone bust of Dante near the left corner of the building. Allenby couldn't help but notice the plaque underneath the bust reading _Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter_.

Vice Admiral Sir Jason M. Dench was a tall man, well over six feet, broad shouldered and built like a rugby forward. He stood looking out the window, a pipe hanging from his mouth, and the smell of scented tobacco wafting through the room.

"Right." Dench replied, before turning around and offering a hand. Allenby took it and shook hands.

"Captain Allenby, your reputation precedes you. Service with 3 Para, before joining 22 SAS in time for the tail end of Malaya and current service in Borneo." Dench continued before as sking, "How is your father, I've not heard from Colonel Allenby in ages."

"He's doing well sir, he's nearing the end of his command of 2 Para." Allenby replied.

"And in all likelihood a return to the Parachute Regiment is in your future following the end of your 22 SAS tour." Dench replied.

"That's what I'm expecting, sir." Allenby replied.

"Well, there is a need for the experience you gained following your encounter with Subject One." Dench said, "Your report indicated it took fire from every weapon in your patrol to kill it, yes?"

"Yes sir. It took every round from my lead scout's shotgun, and almost fifteen rounds from the SLRs (Self Loading Rifles) fired in rapid succession before we were able to kill it. Something that can take three shotgun blasts at damn near point blank range and keep trying to kill us is a grave threat." Allenby replied.

"And if more of them are lurking about, and God forbid someone's amassed an army of those things, there could be trouble." Dench replied, "That's why you've been summoned back to London. The Prime Minister wants this matter resolved as soon as possible. To that end you are to be seconded from 22 SAS to MI6 for the duration of the assignment, however long it shall be, and you're to work closely with the Agent Moira MacTaggert until it is resolved."

"Understood sir." Allenby replied.

"You've got a meeting in the conference room together with Agent MacTaggert at 0900 tomorrow morning. From there the two of you are to investigate the matter of Subject One." Dench replied, "Are there any questions?"

"No sir." Allenby replied.

"Very well then. I shall see you in the morning." Dench replied.

Stenner stood up to show Allenby out. It was after Allenby and Stenner had left that Dench wrote a short little note for his secretary to send a to one of their agents, codenamed Knobby, embedded in the United States. It wasn't that he didn't trust the Americans. Far from it, as during the Second World War they had saved his life, but he was a firm believer in the saying trust but verify.

* * *

Transmission # 4-5-4-1. Designate: OSCAR  
London, United Kingdom  
Moira MacTaggert Arriving in London  
2330 13 April 1963

Landing at London-Heathrow airport near midnight meant that the terminal was nearly deserted. Nearly except for an older man in a rumpled gray tweed suit. "Moira MacTaggert?" the man asked, with a clipped Windsor accent.

"Yes." Moira replied, guardedly, even though she'd been briefed to expect being met by MI6 when she landed. She was briefed on authentication.

The older man said, "So how is you great uncle these days?"

_The authentication question. Sounds like MI6 assigned me a minder._Moira thought before replying with her answer, "He's doing well."

To the casual observer it would sound like a simple meeting of two acquaintances, not two spies verifying the other's identity.

Moira carried her suitcase with her as they walked out of the terminal to the parking garage. A nondescript black sedan was parked in the front. Moira put her suitcase into the trunk before sitting in the front seat and putting her handbag onto her lap.

Stenner stepped into the vehicle and started it up before heading down the street. "Ms. MacTaggert, my name is Matthew Stenner, I'll be working with you and Captain Allenby on this assignment." Stenner said, "We've put you up in a hotel in the Vauxhall Cross area for the time being. I'll come and collect you at 0830."

"Thank you." Moira replied, with a yawn. She did managed to catch a nap on the flight, but only for about a couple hours' duration.

After a short drive Stenner parked the car in front of the hotel and Moira took her handbag and suitcase before walking inside to check in. After checking in she headed up the stairs to catch some sleep.

_Twisted metal. The smell of charred flesh and cloth. Smoke hanging in the air. Carnage. Sebastian Shaw's attack on CIA Headquarters was less than an hour old. Moira couldn't remember who she was with, but all she could remember was that the two people that were with her during the aftermath were men. But she couldn't place faces and certainly couldn't place names._

_There was a young woman who seemed visibly distraught and was being comforted by one of the men. Again the woman's name escaped her memory. But how? She didn't recall a head injury and the file of her debriefing didn't indicate it either._

_Moira remembered that young people were staying in a guest room of sorts at HQ, near a courtyard where a window was shattered and a statue blown apart. All she could remember about that particular bit of damage was that it occurred somehow before the attack, not as a result of it._

_Bodies lay about the ground. Security personnel. Quite a few of them she knew. One of them used to walk her to her car whenever she worked late during his first few weeks. A nice older fellow of thirty-five years named Carruthers. Married with two young boys. Now he was dead, trying to defend those same young people. _

_More memories._

_"What are you doing?" her partner asked, alarmed._

_"Using some equipment the CIA didn't give me." she replied. _

_Now about as scantily clad as the other show girls at this fancy affair she walked with relative freedom amongst the crowd. Relative freedom referred to the good bit of propositioning she endured ever other step from men eying her scantily clad form. _

_And after gaining access to a secret room and finding documents in Russian on a desk. Then finding something else afterward, seeing things that up until that point she knew to be impossible. The blonde woman who grew a sparkling diamond-like covering. The red skinned fellow who seemed to vanish at literally the blink of an eye._

_Where did he go? And for that matter had she been spotted?_

_She heard that same popping noise, felt the hand on her shoulder, saw the red skinned man teleport behind her, a fist cocked back to strike her. And then the sound of buzzing as the fist clocked her in the face..._

* * *

MI6 Transmission. Authenticate: Charlie  
London, United Kingdom  
Moira MacTaggert and Carl Allenby at Vauxhall Cross  
0900 14 April 1963

It had been the buzzing of the bedside telephone in Moira's hotel room that had jerked her awake. It had been a bizarre dream in all likelihood brought about by her new assignment, to do with mutants. But the amateur psychological analysis was going to have to wait as she'd hurriedly dressed, ran downstairs, and met with Stenner who got her to MI6 headquarters without further incident.

Moira got into the conference room, which was occupied by one other occupant calmly sipping a cup of tea. Though lean bodied and not identifiably military thanks to his civilian clothing, she knew him to be Captain Carl Allenby, 22 SAS.

Carl Allenby heard the door open and saw Matthew Stenner open the door and the auburn haired young woman who he assumed must be Moira MacTaggert walked in as Stenner let her in. He stood up as Stenner began to introduce them.

"Moira MacTaggert, this is Carl Allenby, 22 SAS."

Carl shook Moira's hand and said, "Charmed."

He escorted her over to the conference room table and said, "Would you like some tea?

"Thank you." Moira said. Carl poured her a cup and handed it to her, "There's some milk and sugar over there. Help yourself."

"Sadly there isn't any food at the moment, but I'll be sure that we both get something to eat before our next stop." Carl replied.

"And where is that?" Moira asked.

"The laboratory. They're still doing tests on Subject One." Carl replied.

"Subject One?" Moira asked.

"Oh, sorry. That's the designation we'd given to the mutant encountered by Carl's patrol in Borneo." Stenner chimed in.

It was shortly afterward that Dench entered the room, "Miss MacTaggert, first off, welcome to London. I do wish that it was under somewhat better circumstances."

"What can you tell me about the mutant?" Moira asked.

"Captain Allenby can give you the full details, but his patrol encountered it when they were just beyond the border into Indonesian territory. Suffice to say it attacked the patrol and it took a good bit of firepower to subdue it." Dench began, "Captain Allenby, would you care to elaborate."

"Yes sir." Carl replied, "We had just left a village three kilometers from the Indonesian border. After I'd spoken with the headman of the village he mentioned stories of some odd creature that had been terrorizing their village. We headed out on patrol, and crossed the Indonesian frontier. It was whilst we were stopped for a quick look at the map that the jungle went silent."

At Moira's quizzical look Carl added, "Well, jungles are quire noisome places to live and work but they go quiet at the presence of man or in this case what we encountered. Shortly after it went quiet we heard rustling in the brush when my lead scout made contact. It jumped at us, from a stand of brush and my lead scout loosed off three rounds to the center of the torso with his shotgun and it didn't slow him down one sodding bit. We opened up with our SLRs and the scout got in a couple more shots with the shotgun before we were finally able to kill it. We called in about it and the next thing I know is several helicopters converged on our location and then Stenner is having me flown back to the UK with the unidentified mutant."

"The Prime Minister took the report when we flew it back to United Kingdom and then got into touch with your government regarding the matter." Stenner continued.

"Can I see this Subject One at some point?" Moira asked.

"That's actually the next stop. We're still doing testing on the body." Dench replied, "Shall we?"

Everyone headed out to the lab in the basement of the Vauxhall Cross building. "That's Doctor Weaver," Dench said, indicating the fellow in his late thirties doing examinations on the corpse.

Subject One was human, or at least was at some point. Most of the left side of his face was black, inky black as midnight with a glowing yellow eye. Two black antennae protruded from his head and a majority of the hair on the left side of his head was lost. A thick tuft of hair on the right side of his head remained in place, and owing to the lack of any gray hairs it was fairly easy to see that it was a man in his early to mid-twenties. The other side of the man's face was normal, that of a male of Asiatic descent. A hole in the center of the forehead showed where a 7.62 round from an SLR had penetrated.

A large hole was just below the sternum, clearly where buckshot from the lead scout's shotgun had torn wounds into the body. One arm was normal, a typical human arm, and this one was also broken by a fourth shot of buckshot. The other arm was a twisted black claw. Most of the torso, the neck and hips and legs were riddled with bullet holes from the British patrol.

"Doctor Weaver." Dench began, "This is Agent Moira MacTaggert, she's with the American Central Intelligence Agency and she's here to help us with investigating the matter of Subject One. What have you been able to determine."

"Well, from what I could discover was that the creature appeared to lack a heart." Weaver began.

"You mean the gunfire destroyed the heart?" Moira asked, examining the torso for any evidence of a shot having done so. But there weren't any wounds near the heart and the nearest shotgun blasts had hit well below the heart.

"No, I mean there was no heart there period." Weaver replied, "All that was there was a bone hard and hollow void where a person's heart would be. I'm not quite sure how blood was pumped through the body, I would guess by pressure differentials but that's an educated guess at best. And the congealed black fluid, roughly the consistency of motor oil according to the team's report is in all likelihood it's blood. From my initial DNA analysis I see markers for genetic engineering."

"So someone's been making these things? Or artificially mutating them?" Moira asked.

"Sukarno and the Indonesian government don't have the means to carry anything of this sort out, that we're aware of. Is you're agency tracking anything different?" Dench asked.

"We're just as mystified as you are, sir." Moira replied. To her, genetic engineering obviously entailed resources and where there was one of these things there were in more likelihood others.

"Sir, additionally the security element discovered an old parachute, not of British manufacture, not too far from where we were attacked." Carl added, "Basically it appeared to be of Chinese manufacture."

"And there were some scraps of paper, which included the address of a hotel in Hong Kong." Dench replied.  
"His clothing, or what of it remained, appeared to have been made there as well." Weaver replied.

"That means Hong Kong is our best place to chase down a lead." Moira replied, "Do we have any narrowing of where in Hong Kong our Subject One came from?"

"Other than the business card for the Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel, that's about the only information we have as far as possible location. No identifying paperwork or identification documents." Stenner replied.

"You're referring to one of the oldest hotels in Hong Kong." Carl replied, "It's been around damned near forty years and it's a historic landmark."

"Not a bad place to start an investigation on Subject One." Dench replied, "But given it's proximity to Mainland China I expect there will be a contingent of Ministry of State Security lads roaming about. They'll likely be looking for infiltration from the West. Agent MacTaggert, having you around would be quite convenient."

"How so?" Moira asked.

"Well for starters the MSS lads likely surveying the area would be expecting single agents. And having a pair or group of male agents travelling about could raise some suspicion. Having a woman on the team means you and Captain Allenby can easily pose as a married couple. Newlyweds on your honeymoon, upper class English couple and all."

"Well there is the tiny fact that I'm American..." Moira began.

"Well, he met you while at University in the States, captivated by your beauty and asked you to marry him." Dench replied.

Moira mulled the idea for a moment before asking, "And what university would that be?"

"How about Harvard? Ivy League school and the lot." Dench replied.

"Well...ok." Moira replied, it really did seem like Dench had thought of a fairly good idea for their legend.

"Very well then." Dench replied, "I now pronounce you man and wife and I'll ensure that your travel arrangements are in order. Let's say first thing tomorrow."

_It's a good thing I didn't have time to unpack last night. _Moira thought as both she and Carl headed upstairs to one of the administration offices where Stenner went to give them some more details on the hotel and known MSS personnel in the area.

"Boquin Bao," Stenner began, "He's a middle ranking case officer of the Ministry of State Security, or the _Guoanbu_. His specialty is ferreting out any Western intelligence operatives working in Hong Kong and he generally runs operations out of the Peninsula Hong Kong and the Chinese Embassy."

Stenner placed a dossier on the table. The man's photo that was attached to the manila envelope was in his early thirties, with a slight balding on the right side of his forehead, "He is believed to be responsible for the untimely death of the head of our Hong Kong branch, but we can't quite prove it."

"What do we know about him?" Moira asked.

"Well he does have a weakness for gambling, the higher the stakes the better. He's also quite ruthless and the sort that never minds getting his hands dirty." Stenner replied before he placed a second dossier down. This one had the photo of a young Chinese woman in her mid to late twenties. Black hair, almond brown eyes, and what looked like the winning smile of a high order seductress.

"Lifen Wu." Stenner added, "She's Bao's right hand woman. Said to be connected with a number of deaths of MI6 officers in Hong Kong over the past two years. Very skillful and willing to achieve missions at any cost. Don't let the lovely face fool you, she's an assassin of high skill."

"Both of these individuals seem to be permanently based out of the Peninsula Hong Kong, gathering intelligence on foreign dignitaries and the like." Stenner said, "They'll in all likelihood be an impediment to your mission if they get wind of it. So an airtight legend will be needed. Give me twenty-four hours and I can get your legend appropriate references."

"Alright. In the meantime we'll come up with our own details for our legend." Carl said.

* * *

Transmission # 4-6-5-1. Designate: DELTA  
Somewhere of the Pacific Ocean  
Moira MacTaggert and Carl Allenby  
0800 15 April 1963

"I'm geting my impressions of you together, Carl, and I can say there's a good bit I get and don't get." Moira replied, "First I get the fact that you're following in your father's footsteps, even joining your father's unit, the Parachute Regiment. Then sort of going your own way by joining the Special Air Service. Before that you went to Cambridge University, and from what I can tell a good number of your classmates made you never forget your decidedly middle class origins. It's manifested in your refusal to think inside the box."

"Well, first off, I never was comfortable sticking to pre-conceived notions. And I could say the same of you." Carl replied, "I can see you obviously don't quite fit in amongst your CIA colleagues, having pulled yourself out of the typing pool, but still seen as a woman in a man's world."

"Touche." Moira said, as the car she and Carl rode in approached the London-Heathrow Airport.

"So let's go over our legend one more time, shall we?" Carl said, before asking, "So how did you meet?"

"It was my second year at Harvard and I was buying text books. Western Civilization, I think. And the bookstore only had one left. Thom was also shopping for the same book, but he was a gentleman and let me have it. He also used it as an excuse to see me again and again, under the pretext of borrowing my book for the class before he finally asked me out." Moira replied, "We've gone over it enough I think."

"Right. Just want to make sure that we can maintain our cover if needed." Carl said as they stepped off the car and after getting through security they waited for their flight at the departure gate.

"So is there a Mr. MacTaggert back in the States?" Carl asked.

"No. And why do you ask?" Moira countered as she looked up from her book.

"Practical reasons." Carl replied, "If there is a Mr. MacTaggert I'd like to know just in case I have to fend off a large and angry bloke who I can't tell why I'm hanging about with his wife for reasons of national security."

"So you're asking me for purposes of self preservation? Nice." Moira commented, "And for the record, no there is no Mr. MacTaggert. Unless you count my cat back home, he's not the nicest to male company."

"Remind me never to visit you at home then." Carl replied.

"So what about you, is there a Mrs. Allenby?" Moira asked.

"No. And besides with my life being how it is, I don't think it's quite conducive to a solid relationship with a woman. Quite a few chaps I know are divorced or separated." Carl replied.

"So you're basically a monk." Moira remarked.

"I'm not quite so sure what I do qualifies me for a monastic order." Carl replied, "And you're quite the solitary sort yourself, given what you've told me so far."

The announcement for their flight came over the PA system and they stepped onboard their aircraft. Carl had a window seat and Moira had the aisle seat. Carl divided his time between looking out the window and glancing over at Moira, who seemed quite involved in her book, Charlotte Bronte's _Wuthering Heights. _

"I'd not had you pegged for a Bronte reader to be honest." Carl remarked.

"Really?" Moira replied as she set her book onto her lap, tucking the book mark into the page she was reading, "So, what would you have pegged me as reading?"

"I would have guessed something along the lines of Jane Austen." Carl replied.

"I just finished _Pride and Prejudice_on the flight to London. I really didn't feel like re-reading it." Moira replied.

"Heathcliff was a wanker." Carl remarked.

"What makes you say that?" Moira replied.

"Well, he's a study in being a wanker." Carl replied, "First off he uses poor Isabella, an innocent young woman, as a vehicle to get back at Edgar because of his having been married to Catherine. Second off, more relating to the first he more or less abuses Isabella and spends the remainder of his life spreading misery to his contemporaries and his heirs. Both traits qualify him as a wanker."

"I think the term is Byronic Hero. And you have to admit that a good bit of why Heathcliff is the way he is was caused by the rigid Victorian English society." Moira replied, "Given that because he's descended from gypsies Victorian English society didn't exactly welcome him with open arms. And he was very devoted to Catherine."

"More like bloody mad and obsessive. I do believe that sort of behavior is characteristic of a pathological personality. Especially near the end with all of his vengeance seeking and trying to destroy the next generation occupying both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange." Carl replied.

"He's the epitome of a tormented soul, the typical Byronic hero." Moira replied before letting out a slight yelp of pain as a baggage cart banged into her elbow.

"Hey, you should take my seat." Carl said.

"No, it's OK." Moira replied, "Anyway, Heathcliff is a more complex character than a simple 'wanker' as you so eloquently put it."

"Well, yes. He's an outright bastard." Carl replied, "Marrying the younger sister of a rival because said rival is married to the true object of his love is a rather uncouth act."

"Rigid social standards pretty much doomed Catherine and Heathcliff as a couple." Moira replied.

"Point taken. He should've just gone off elsewhere if he was seeking revenge. After all the Talmud says 'Live well. It is the best revenge.'." Carl countered.

"But revenge wasn't his only motivation. He still genuinely loved Catherine." Moira replied.

"But what in God's name was he expecting? Her to drop Edgar and elope with him?" Carl replied.

"Love makes fools of us all." Moira replied, before she got hit in the elbow by another beverage cart, "Ouch."

"For God's sake take my seat. I'll take the aisle seat." Carl replied.

"It's not that bad." Moira replied.

"Will you let me be a gentleman for God's sake?" Carl replied.

"Really, it's OK. You don't need to dote and...ouch!" Moira replied.

"If I hear you go on like that again I'm likely to think you're hurt." Carl replied.

"It's not that, it's touching but it's a little unnecessary..." Moira remarked.

"Humor me?" Carl asked.

Moira felt another beverage cart bang into her arm, "Ouch! OK."

She unbuckled her seatbelt and Carl did the same before standing up and moving towards the aisle seat, slipping by Moira as she moved over to the window seat he had taken.

"There, much better are we?" Carl said.

Moira rubbed her elbow and smiled as an old woman behind them asked, "Excuse me, are you two married?"

"Yes." Moira replied.

"No." Carl added at the same time. Moira elbowed him in the ribs and gave him a slightly withering glare.

The old woman looked at them quizzically as Carl turned around and said, "Not yet at any rate. We're actually flying to visit her family, who lives in Hong Kong. We just thought it would be best that we get married there and go right for the honeymoon at the same time."

Carl's hasty explanation as to the fact that he countermanded Moira's reply seemed to placate the old woman.

_Good save, but you could've avoided the whole situation by remembering the legend. _Moira thought.

The drone of the aircraft's engines provided a good and steady background noise as Moira continued to read her book. Presently she stifled a yawn and tucked a bookmark into her book before falling asleep on the long flight to Hong Kong.

* * *

**Up Next: The adventure begins in Hong Kong as MacTaggert and Allenby search their first lead.**


	2. Hong Kong, Part 1

**Hong Kong, Part 1**

**Disclaimer: Same as before. **

**A/N: I am treating X-men: First Class as a reboot, not the intended prequel due to all the inconsistencies pointed.**

**A/N: Since Levene's first name wasn't given in the script, I figure I'd make it up.**

* * *

MI6 Transmission. Authenticate: Hotel  
Hong Kong  
Moira MacTaggert and Carl Allenby Have Arrived  
0400 16 April 1963

It was 4 AM by the time Moira and Carl's aircraft touched down in Hong Kong. Carl awoke first, feeling Moira's head pressed against his right shoulder as she slept.

"Oi." Carl said as he gently shook Moira awake.

Moira blinked her eyes a couple more times and sat up, gathering up her bag before standing up. "How long was I asleep?" Moira asked.

"A good while." Carl replied. _A good while with your head resting on my shoulder. _Carl thought as he stood up.

They gathered their bags at the baggage claim before they were met by a man in his late twenties with a stocky build and a bald head.

"Thom and Emily Arlington?" he said.

"Yes." Carl said, authenticating their identity.

"Just wanted to let you know I've got the message from your mother. She said sorry she can't make it, but it's rather early. You understand, right?" the man said.

"We understand." Moira replied. She knew that this was the CIA contact from the Hong Kong Station and that was how they were going to authenticate each other.

He led them outside to a black car where Moira and Carl stored their bags, before getting into the car and heading towards their hotel.

Once they were safely away from the car, the man said, with a distinct Queens accent, "Agent MacTaggert? I'm Eddie Bentro, Hong Kong Station."

"Carl Allenby, I'm with MI6." Carl said, introducing himself.

"That the Brit you're working with?" Eddie said.

Moira replied, "Yes he is."

"OK. Just to let you know the MSS guys almost invariably tend to use the Peninsula as well as the Chinese Embassy as a base of operations." Eddie said, "I'm thinking there might be someone crooked in either or possibly both our agencies, but I can't pin down who. There's no way they could get some of the intel they're getting just by their usual means."

"The Ministry of State Security is rather ruthless in its methods. So we can't rule them out entirely." Carl remarked.

"But we can't rule out possible moles either." Moira replied.

"That's right." Eddie replied, "I'll be working with you guys for the duration of your time here. I'll meet you guys tomorrow for lunch."

"Alright." Carl said, as they reached the hotel. He stepped out of the car and opened the passenger door for Moira before they got their bags, checked in and got to their room.

As they got inside the room Carl went over to close the blinds and Moira went about checking for bugs or any other surveillance equipment.

Before he'd closed the blinds he made sure to think of exactly which areas he would put in surveillance on the room.

"No bugs or hidden cameras I could find." Moira said.

"I'd checked through the windows to see possible surveillance positions before closing the blinds." Carl replied, "So I suppose one of us is sleeping on the couch then?"

Moira said, "The bed is big enough for both of us. And we are both adults here."

"Right, I just didn't want to assume anything." Carl said.

Moira said, "We are adults here, not hormone crazed teenagers, we can share a bed without any problems."

"I agree." Carl replied.

"No funny ideas though." Moira remarked.

"Moira, given the fact that I happen to be British that shouldn't be a problem." Carl replied, as he went around to the small room divider where he hung his jacket on a peg and slid off his shirt before throwing on a clean t-shirt.

"British and American humor do have some radical differences from one another, thus it stands to reason funny ideas aren't likely to come about." Carl replied after he'd slid off his pants and pulled on a pair of gray sweat pants.

Moira rolled her eyes at the Englishman's comment before she took advantage of Carl having gone behind the room divider. She started by slipping off her dress and her sweater and stepping out of her heels before removing her stockings and garters. She removed her bra and her panties as well before putting on a fresh set. Then she tossed on a blue silk night shirt that terminated at just above her mid thigh.

It was around then that Carl walked in from behind the small room divider. It did give him pause to see Moira in the blue silk night shirt she'd just thrown on. It showed her long, well defined legs and hung loosely off her frame yet it complemented the curves of her body rather than hiding them.

He quickly got over the quick pause before heading towards the bed. Moira had already climbed into the left side of the bed before he got there. He turned off the other lights in the room before he climbed into the right side of the bed and shut off the bedside lamp on his side.

"Good night." Carl said.

"Same to you." Moira said.

Carl rolled over to one side and shut his eyes before Moira said, "Hey Carl?"

Carl turned over to face her before he asked, "Yes?"

"Are you using your other pillow?" Moira asked.

"Not really." Carl replied.

"Think you could hand it to me?" Moira said.

"Sure." Carl said, sitting up to hand one of the two pillows on his side of the bed to Moira before he turned over and went to sleep.

* * *

Transmission # 5-6-6-1. Designate: LIMA  
Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel  
Eddie Bentro, Moira MacTaggert, and Carl Allenby  
1100 16 April 1963

It was the sunlight poking under the curtain that had awakened Carl. He had seen there was a swimming pool downstairs when they'd checked in and thought a bit of swimming was in order. He took a pad from a desk in the room and jotted a quick note to let Moira know of his whereabouts before he grabbed a towel and and a pair of swimming shorts as well as his room key.

Moira shifted and muttered something indistinct, he was able to make out the words 'you're drunk'. Her movement caused the blanket to slide down her shoulders. He gently moved the covers to just under her chin, having observed she slept that way earlier in the night.

He headed downstairs to get some thinking sorted out. He understood why the mission was important, but still he had to wonder how 17 Troop, D Squadron, 22 SAS was doing in Borneo. It wasn't that he doubted his second in command or anyone else in his element, but there were still concerns.

_Here I am, enjoying time in a luxury hotel and likely the lads in D Squadron are still down in Borneo if they've not been relieved by A Squadron yet. _Carl thought.

Then there was the matter of Moira MacTaggert. He wasn't sure why but he found himself feeling attracted to her. She was attractive, to be sure, and her quick wit and sharp mind were qualities he always admired in a woman. There was something else about her too, something he couldn't quite pin down.

He changed into his swimming shorts before getting into the water and pushed off the wall, maintaining powerful kicks and long and powerful strokes with his arms. As he swam through the water he let his mind wander.

_"Contact! Contact!" Trooper Kenny McCallister shouted. The creature leaped from the nearest stand of brush. It was at the same time he fired his shotgun three times in rapid succession. It sent the creature reeling but it kept coming at him. It swung a clawed hand at him and Kenny staggered backward, blood flowing down his face. He hit the ground rather heavily as Carl and the rest of the team opened up with their SLRs, uncertain if Kenny was dead or injured. _  
_The creature charged towards their positions on the column as the SLRs blazed away. Kenny rolled up from the ground and chambered a round into his shotgun, firing again, blasting a shot that struck and shattered the creature's left arm. He chambered another round as he racked the pump on his shotgun and fired into the left leg of the attacker._

_It had the creature leaning sideways, as the round had demolished the left knee. The remaining soldiers in the patrol continued firing until the creature went down. Kenny reloaded his shotgun as he stood up and approached the creature. _

_Greg and Stan pushed out to form a hasty perimeter as Carl got to check on the corpse alongside Kenny who was covering down on it with the shotgun. Carl carefully turned the corpse over to make sure it didn't have any hidden grenades or weapons. _

_After determining no weapons were present and that the creature was dead Carl got on the radio. All that shooting would have to have drawn the Indonesians' attention and if there were any encampments nearby the Indonesians were likely all alerted and scrambling troops. The lads needed no orders. He watched as they reloaded their weapons with fresh magazines, and in Kenny's case he was loading buckshot into the shotgun. _

_Carl heard the radio call from headquarters. They were going to be extracted by air, but the team was to remain in place with the corpse due to a need to collect it._

_The sound of helicopters drew all the SAS men's attention and within a few minutes several Gurkhas (Nepalese soldiers that served in the British Army) formed a hasty perimeter. Flanked by two Gurkhas, wearing unmarked British Army fatigues and carrying a Sten Submachine Gun, was Matthew Stenner._

_"I see you've found us something big." Stenner said without preamble._

_"Right." Carl said and indicated the corpse._

_Stenner looked the corpse over. The identifiably human part of the creature appeared to have been a Chinese man in his thirties or late twenties. Much of the civilian clothing worn by the man was ragged, as a result of the tendency of jungle environments to practically rot nearly anything. _

_Another fellow in unmarked fatigues ran over to Stenner. After they conversed for a few minutes Stenner remarked, "We're going to need you to return to the UK after your patrol debrief." _

Carl finished his swim, sitting poolside for a few minutes before drying off and throwing on his clothes before he ambled upstairs.

Meanwhile Moira woke up and stretched. She checked the time on the bedside clock and noticed Carl wasn't in bed nor anywhere in the room. She saw a note mentioning he was headed for the hotel pool to go for a swim and took advantage of the time to get ready.

She stepped out of her night shirt and her underwear before stepping into the bathroom to take a shower. As she showered she remembered vaguely feeling a slight chill that morning and then someone tucking her in.

How long had it been since someone had been a gentleman to her? A long time it seemed. The vague memory of a kiss notwithstanding, it had been a little over two years since her last serious relationship.

Sure she'd had dates, but they were little more than the odd cup of coffee at a cafe, or maybe dinner. Basically non-starters of relationships. Men either wanting to move too fast or put off by her often crazy schedule. And what with the overt sexism she ran into on a daily basis with people like Stryker and to a lesser extent Levene, she wasn't exactly wanting a relationship with someone from work.

Moira began to dry herself off with the towel before wrapping it around her body and starting to dry her hair.

_That was awfully gentlemanly of him. _Moira caught herself thinking of the moment Carl had been offering to switch seats after the beverage cart kept bumping into her elbow. _Oh for crying out loud, it's a little thing. It's not anything all that huge._

Moira was so deep in thought that she didn't hear the knock on the bathroom door.

Carl Allenby opened the bathroom door to find himself staring directly at Moira MacTaggert wearing nothing but droplets of water and a little white towel.

Moira spun round, clutching the towel to her chest as droplets of water trickled down from the wet hair which clung to her face.

"Carl!" she yelped with surprise.

For his part Carl was valiantly attempting to keep his eyes from looking down as he stammered, "Oh bollocks. I'm sorry..."

Recovering from her initial surprise, Moira didn't feel that uncomfortable with Carl walking in on her like that. Compared to the way she had been ogled during that surveillance mission in Las Vegas, this was tame and in Carl's case his eyes shifting downward was purely instinctive. It didn't stop it from being an awkward situation, though.

Moira walked over to him and said in a husky voice, just inches from his face, "Knock louder next time, Carl."

Regaining his composure said, "Right."

Moira waited until Carl turned round and walked away before she gave a small but awkward smile about his reaction to the entire situation. She finished drying her hair before she headed over behind the room divider and started to get dressed. She'd selected a simple floral print dress and a light pink sweater with a pair of three inch heels.

"We've got a contact to meet." Moira remarked, getting back to business.

Carl opened the door and with a bow and flourish said, "After you."

Moira smiled, "Thank you."

He walked with her, staying close and then clasping her right hand with his left, the better to maintain the image of being a newly married couple. He felt the soft and smooth skin of her hand with his rough and calloused hand.

Moira returned the clasp, the better to maintain their legend after all, before they reached the elevator. Carl tapped the button and the elevator opened, and with another flourish said, "After you."

Moira walked into the elevator and Carl followed her in door. They walked into the lobby and out of the corner of his eye Carl noticed a Chinese man, short, and on the stocky side put down the newspaper he was reading, as if to rest his eyes.

Carl squeezed Moira's hand, the prearranged signal that he was sure they were under surveillance and he had identified their tail.

Moira squeezed his hand in reply, indicating that she acknowledged. They headed to the lobby bar where Eddie Bentro sat, casually smoking a cigarette at a table.

Carl slid one chair out, to let Moira sit down first before he took the seat beside her. "Don't look now, but I do believe we've got a tail." Carl remarked.

"I spotted him when I got over here. MSS type, he practically lives out of this hotel." Eddie replied.

"What are his habits?" Carl asked.

"Seems to scope the lobby out in the morning, then has breakfast in the cafe before he goes out and about. He's pretty good at avoiding surveillance so we have to use agents from the population to give us information." Eddie said.

"Speaking of agents, do you have any that might be helpful?" Moira interjected.

Eddie replied, "I've already taken care of that. I highly suggest you two do a bit of sightseeing and make use of the excellent room service at this hotel."

Moira quickly had deduced Eddie had a couple meetings in mind, "And where would you recommend we go?"

"The new City Hall Museum and Art Gallery is a good site to go see." Eddie remarked, "I typically visit with a friend of mine there whenever we have the time. He works over there as a curator, and I've told him to expect you."

"How long is he going to wait?" Carl asked.

"Not long, so I'd recommend you get going." Eddie said, "I'll take you myself and will pick you up in a couple of hours.

Eddie stood up and both Moira and Carl followed him out to the car park and took their ride to the museum. Carl stepped out of the car and then waited for Moira to step out before he closed the door and Eddie drove off. He walked up to the front door of the museum and opened the door to let Moira walk in before offering his arm to her.

Moira took his arm, the better to give the impression of a pair of newly weds rather than members of a joint CIA operation with MI-6.

An older Chinese man headed towards them. His graying hair and receding hairline indicated a man in his early fifties and as he approached Carl noticed the scarring on his left hand, evidence of burns of some kind.

"Mr. and Mrs. Arlington?" the man said, "I am Mr. Han, the curator for this museum, your friend Eddie told me to expect you."

Moira and Carl shook hands with Mr. Han as the latter said, "Shall we?"

His manner of speech indicated a man educated in the United Kingdom and Carl asked, "Where did you go to school, Mr. Han?"

"I was educated at Cambridge University, oh, ages ago." Mr. Han replied.

"My alma mater." Carl replied, "Relatively more recent timeframe."

Moira elbowed him in the ribs. "Ouch."

Mr. Han smirked at both Moira's mild chagrin and Carl's reaction to her elbow's contact.

"There's been a great deal of unusual activity with our PRC friends of late." Mr. Han began, "Increased border guards on the Chinese side of the border and quite a few new faces amongst the Chinese Embassy here."

"It sounds like preparation for an invasion." Carl remarked.

"I don't think so. I think there's more going on than a simple Chinese takeover of Hong Kong." Moira replied.

"What do you think the PRC blokes are up to around here, Mr. Han?" Carl asked as they walked by other exhibits.

"I will say that the Ministry of State Security seems especially active here in Hong Kong of late. Especially on the financial front." Mr. Han replied.

"How so?" Carl asked.

"My brother works for a small medical technology company. It's been no secret that they were under quite a bit of financial duress." Mr. Han said, "It was as they were filing for bankruptcy that they had a meeting with some businessmen. Ostensibly they claimed they were from Taiwan, but with their bullying swagger and arrogance it was quite obvious they were members of the _Guóānbù_ (Chinese Ministry of State Security)."

"What was your brother's company involved with?" Moira asked.

"Mostly manufacture of scientific instruments as well as heart rate monitoring machines. Also they worked in the calibration of life support equipment." Mr. Han replied.

"When was the last time you talked to your brother?" Carl asked.

"Almost six weeks ago." Mr. Han said.

"And you haven't talked to him since?" Carl asked.

"Since my brother's company was bought out, he had to sign a non-disclosure agreement." Mr. Han asked.

"Did you talk to your brother on the phone or in person?" Moira asked.

Carl couldn't help but wonder about Moira's line of questioning. Why did she ask about in person or on the telephone?

"It was in person. We had lunch." Mr. Han replied, "He seemed especially worried, constantly glancing over his shoulder, as if he were being followed."

_Sounds like the wankers who bought out the company were MSS, or at the very least some very unsavory sods. _Carl thought.

"Do you have his address?" Moira asked, gently.

Mr. Han took out a business card and apen from his pocket. He wrote the address on the back, glancing around the room before shaking hands with Moira and Carl.

"We appreciate the tour." Carl said as he shook hands with Mr. Han. The latter slipped his business card into the palm of Carl's hand. He quietly slid the card into his pocket.

Both Carl and Moira stepped outside and saw Eddie having parked the car in front of the building. They stepped inside and Eddie drove them back towards the hotel.

* * *

MI6 Transmission. Authenticate: Juliet  
London, United Kingdom  
Matthew Stenner and Vice Admiral Sir Jason M. Dench  
0800 16 April 1963

"Our lads at the Embassy have been noticing a good bit of unusual Chinese activity of late." Stenner said as he held a report in his left hand as he stood in Dench's office.

"I'd noticed that with the last few reports coming from the Hong Kong station." Dench replied, "Quite a few technology and science companies that have been having financial issues have been approached by gentlemen that appear to be members of the Ministry of State Security or at least somewhat affiliated. What do you suppose that the MSS wants with those sort of businesses?"

"I'm honestly not certain, but I'm fairly sure it's something to do with mutants. What with that business near Cuba the Yanks got into last year, I'm quite certain that the Chinese want to learn everything they can about mutants too." Stenner replied, "That's information I want Allenby and MacTaggert to uncover."

"Very good." Dench said, as he took a cigarette from a metal case in his pocket before he offered one to Stenner.

"Thank you sir." Stenner replied and lit his cigarette.

"I trust you'd received initial reports from those two?" Dench replied.

"Yes sir, via our contact at the hotel Captain Allenby gave me his initial report. And he'll give his report this evening." Stenner replied.

"What about MacTaggert, what's your impression of her?" Dench asked.

"Well she seems business-like, dedicated and quite moral and honest." Stenner replied, "I trust her. But I don't quite trust that Stryker bloke."

"Ah yes, I'm well aware there's a good bit of mistrust between you and Stryker." Dench remarked.

"That's putting it rather mildly, sir." Stenner replied.

"That business in Korea was rather unplesant, Stenner. And Stryker certainly can carry more than his share of blame." Dench replied.

"Again, sir, that's putting it rather mildly. Seven people died as a direct result of Stryker's actions on that mission." Stenner replied, "From both MI-6 and the CIA. I recommend we keep a close eye on Stryker."

"I agree." Dench replied, "Do keep me posted on Allenby and MacTaggert's progress and vet what you forward to the CIA through me before you transmit it."

"Yes sir." Stenner replied.

"The Chinese are buying up various medical and scientific firms especially in Hong Kong, an SAS patrol encounters a mutant in the Malayan jungle, and said mutant shows signs of genetic engineering." Dench said, "This is worrying. Stenner, look to see precisely which medical and scientific ventures have gone under in the last few years and be sure MacTaggert and Allenby have that information."

"Yes sir." Stenner replied.

"In any case I shall be very interested to hear precisely what MacTaggert and Allenby find on their first day of investigating." Dench replied.

* * *

Transmission # 5-7-6-1. Designate: NOVEMBER  
Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel  
Moira MacTaggert, and Carl Allenby  
1945 16 April 1963

"I still think they're preparing for an invasion." Carl remarked as he stepped out of the bathroom.

"I'd be inclined to agree with you, but I'm not so sure the increased Chinese activity is necessarily for the annexation of Hong Kong." Moira remarked as she laid out her sleepwear for the evening, stifling a yawn as she did so.

"What do you think its for then? The Chinese have been quite active since the end of the Korean War. Working with the Communist Terrorists in Malaya. Hong Kong is one of the Crown's wealthier protectorates, certainly the PRC would want to control its wealth." Carl replied.

"Still, China would be taking a big risk. And I don't think that the Chinese activity is necessarily an invasion." Moira replied.

"Really? And this flood of 'businessmen' that are spies aren't the blokes laying ground for invasion? I do recall the Japanese pulling similar tricks in the years leading to World War II." Carl replied as he looked out the window, keeping an eye out for any surveillance.

"I'm aware of that." Moira replied, "However given that the Chinese interest have been in various science, engineering, and medically related interests I'm sure that its related to the mutants."

"Or biological weaponry." Carl replied.

"Given that mutant powers can range from teleportation to growing diamond hard covering, I'm inclined to believe that the mutants themselves are weapons." Moira replied.

"And the medical and science equipment could well be used in engineering mutants." Carl said, "After all genetic power could well trigger another arms race, as if we didn't have one that was bad enough with the current nuclear race with the bloody Soviets."

"That is worrying." Moira replied, "But something tells me that if someone's massing an army, they intend to use it, but to what end? Our best lead would be the medical companies."

"Agreed, but let's see what this other contact your friend Eddie mentioned can turn up. I'm particularly interested in seeing what these _Guoanbu _chaps are up to." Carl replied.

"I'm not convinced the _Guoanbu_are behind all this." Moira replied.

"Well the Chinese have been quite active in all this." Carl replied, "So what makes you think they're not the master minds?"

"Call it a hunch." Moira replied.

"Much as I don't want to doubt your instincts," Carl said, as he rolled up his sleeves and looked through the room service menu, "But I think something more than a hunch is in order to be convincing."

"It's vague, but I remember something about mutants able to do things like read minds. What if one such mutant were altering the minds of senior members of the Chinese Ministry of State Security." Moira remarked.

"You seem to have a good bit of familiarity about mutants. Where does it come from?" Carl asked.

Moira hesitated a bit, "I did encounter some on a mission last year. I saw a woman grow a sparkling coat around herself and a man vanish with a senior member of NATO."

"Given what I saw in Malaya I'd believe you, but I'm certain what you know about mutants is more than just from a simple one off encounter." Carl replied.

"It is." Moira said, "That much I know, but the rest I can't recall with any degree of clarity. It's brief snatches. Trees. A kiss. A tropical beach."

Carl made a mental note to ask Moira about it later on, but for the time being it was best not to. Changing the subject he handed Moira the menu, "Right, what would you like to order."

Moira looked through the menu, pricey but definitely sounded very good, "Seems a little rich."

"Well given that we have an expense account and we're not being fraudulent I'd disagree. And also this bloke your man wants us to meet in all likelihood works in room service it might behoove us to partake." Carl replied.

Moira smiled, "Careful, I might be tempted to go on a shopping spree that might get you committed to the Tower."

"I don't think I'm quite important enough to be imprisoned in the Tower to be perfectly honest." Carl replied before handing Moira the menu. She made her choice before Carl went over to the bedside phone to call in their room service.

Carl dialed room service and then called in their order before noticing Moira yawn yet again, "Tired?"

"Travelling for the last three days will do that." Moira remarked.

"One more practical reason for room service." Carl replied, stifling a yawn of his own, "I very well might turn in early."

"I think that was my idea first." Moira remarked.

"I don't think copyrights for ideas like that exist." Carl remarked.

"And when did you become an expert in copyrights?" Moira replied.

"I never said I was." Carl replied, "I imagine if such copyrights did exist the sheer amount of litigation might result in a rather overwhelmed legal system."

"There you go again." Moira replied.

"Pardon?" Carl asked.

"There you go over-analyzing things." Moira replied as she picked her sleepwear off the bed and went behind the room divider to get dressed for bed.

The sound of a knock on their door got both of their attentions. Carl headed over to look through the peephole of the door. Standing outside was a young Chinese man wearing pushing a food cart.

Carl opened the door and the young man said, "Room service for Mr. and Mrs. Arlington?"

"That's us, thank you." Carl said.

The young man handed him a slip of paper, "Here's the check for your records, a mutual friend said you do like to keep records."

Carl took the slip of paper, which had the phrase authenticating the identity of their agent. The man's name was Chang and he worked the evening shift at the hotel. Perfect contact.

"What can you tell me about the goings on in the hotel?" Carl asked.

"Well, I notice a good bit of activity around Room 18. A regular guest at this hotel employed by the Chinese Embassy." Chang replied.

_Bao. _Carl thought before saying, "That's worth ten Sterling."

The youth folded the ten pound note and stuck it in a pocket as Carl said, "Now it'll be worth your while if you can get into that room, and see if you can't pick up any information."

"He is very careful about people following him, very thorough. He even checks the room for listening devices." Chang said, "There are also a lot more people at the hotel, associates of Mr. Bao these days."

"It would be worth a lot to me if you could discern any information from that room, anything you can overhear or see, or the comings and goings of anyone out of that room." Carl replied.

"I will see what I can do." Chang said.

"Thank you." Carl said.

Shortly after Chang left, Moira walked in from behind the room divider.

"Nothing too firm from the kid." Carl replied, "Except the location of Mr. Bao's suite and that getting a bug in there might be rather difficult and that there seems to be a good bit of extra surveillance about this area."

"Not surprising." Moira remarked, "Given that the US Ambassador is hosting a function here at the hotel in two days."

"How did you know that?" Carl asked.

Moira held up an envelope with an invitation in it, "It looks like we're both invited, courtesy of Eddie."

"Why would they want us there?" Carl asked as he went behind the room divider to get dressed for bed.

"Well it sort of puts new blood in the room, if they haven't burned us we can help with counter intelligence." Moira replied, "And besides if we help them they could help us with our investigation."

"Or see if Chang can't glean anything. I'm certain he's working the detail." Carl replied, "A server or waiter can overhear a good bit, if I can pay him to stick close to the MSS blokes it could pay off."

"I'll be sure to ask Eddie about Chang's reliability." Moira asked.

"He seemed like an ok sort of bloke, but then again I only met him briefly." Carl replied.

Moira had sat down to eat, as Carl headed over.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Moira asked.

"Certainly." Carl replied.

"How is it you got to have such an understanding of literature to a point you can argue about one of my favorite books?" Moira asked.

"I was educated at Chillingborough, near Didsbury, around the Manchester area." Carl replied, "Dad insisted that education was important, and that I attend schooling and become an officer if I so desired to follow in his footsteps."

"Your father was in the Army?" Moira asked.

"Yes, in fact he is the officer commanding for 2 Para." Carl replied, "He recently rose in rank to Colonel not too long ago. I still remember the day I joined the Paras, my father pinning my wings. He had to keep that reserved distance, but we could all see the pride that his eldest was following in his footsteps."

"Your father was an officer?" Moira asked.

"Yes, he was commissioned on the battlefield in 1941 after his officers were killed in battle." Carl replied, after having chewed a forkful of his food before asking, "So what about your family?"

"Well, I'm the baby of three girls." Moira replied, "My grandparents came over from Scotland in 1900, moving to Rhode Island. My grandfather wound up working in a textile plant, first as an accountant but rising to owning the plant."

"So you grew up with means?" Carl asked.

"No, my parents weren't rich, but we weren't struggling either. I grew up comfortably, in a suburb of Providence. My Mom worked as a high school teacher and my Dad was a doctor." Moira replied.

"Sounds like you had a lovely family." Carl said, "So might I ask why the CIA?"

"Fair question," Moira said, "It's sort of a long story."

"I've certainly got time to hear it, after all you'd put up with my story, it's only fair." Carl said with a smile as he sipped a glass of water.

"Well, during World War II I remember some men came over to our house one evening. One was an Army officer and the others wore civilian clothes. They were talking to my parents, something about recruiting my Mom for something. Dad didn't agree with it, but Mom chose to go. She was always the headstrong type." Moira said.

"A trait you seem to have inherited." Carl replied, "Not necessarily a bad thing."

"Thanks. Anyway, Mom and Dad had a huge argument. I saw Mom packing a suitcase and then that was the last time I saw her." Moira replied.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Did you ever find out why she left?" Carl asked.

"I was getting there." Moira replied, "Dad didn't tell me what exactly Mom had left to do, but it was something to do with the government and most of it was a secret. I chose to join the CIA partially to find out what happened to my Mom. I spent my first year with the CIA in the typing pool, working as a secretary. I found out Mom had worked for the CIA's predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services and she had gone missing on a mission."

"That had to be rough. Not knowing why your Mum had left and then finding out many years later." Carl replied.

"You have no idea." Moira replied, "And after I found out about Mom and the OSS, I became more determined to get out of the typing pool and actually do real work for the CIA. They put me in surveillance and the rest was history."

"Leading to a lovely hotel in Hong Kong." Carl said.

"Among other things, but I just can't remember all of them, several months from last year I just can't remember." Moira replied.

_Perhaps due to those mutants that can alter minds? _Carl thought. _That's the logical thing. Given that there wasn't any incident I recall where she'd been struck upside the head. _

That was something, however, that he would delve into at a later date.

* * *

Transmission # 4-5-3-1 Designate: BRAVO  
CIA Headquarters, Langley, VA  
Glenn Levene, William Stryker, and Director McCone  
1900 16 April 1963

"The Brits just released the autopsy report from that mutant they killed in Borneo." Glenn Levene, Moira MacTaggert's former partner from surveillance, said.

"How much of it did MI-6 redact." McCone said.

"A fair amount." Levene replied, "But what they didn't redact was the fact that this thing took five rounds from a shotgun and fifteen 7.62 mm rounds to kill. Apparently this thing didn't have a heart."

"You must've read it wrong," McCone said, "The heart must've been destroyed by the shotgun blast."

"No, the autopsy report and photos show no damage in the area where a heart would be." Levene replied,"MacTaggert attached her own observations to the report. She did mention that the Brits seem a bit concerned that this thing is genetically engineered and that likely more like it are lurking about. They just don't know where."

"The Brits neglected to let us know that." McCone remarked, "I might have a bone to pick with Dench over this."

"That's probably more than a few." Stryker remarked, "The Limeys haven't exactly been 100% forthcoming these days."

"Well, I do remember you and what's his name, Stenner, don't quite get along. And haven't since Korea." McCone remarked.

"I wonder how much the Brits know about these freaks that they aren't willing to share with us." Stryker said, "I think that's something we should have MacTaggert find out while she's playing house with that British officer."

"Agreed." McCone said, "I want to know exactly what it is the Brits know about the mutants. Make sure Bentro gets that message to MacTaggert."

"Right away." Stryker said.

* * *

MI6 Transmission. Authenticate: Hotel  
Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel  
Carl Allenby and Moira MacTaggert  
2200 16 April 1963

Moira yawned and stretched and said, "Well I guess its time to turn in."

She stood up from her chair before walking off to the bed, sliding the covers aside and stepping in. Carl followed her to the bed before turning off the lights and sliding into bed himself.

He knew he would have to wake up later, but that wouldn't be for an hour or so. There would be an intermediary he would be meeting on the roof of the building, supposedly someone Stenner trusted. And if Stenner trusted this person that meant they were somewhat trustworthy in his eyes.

There was also the matter of the American partner on the case. She seemed nice enough, very intelligent, perceptive, and attractive. He couldn't help but notice the latter fact, he'd have to be blind not to. He trusted her, but he knew that there was some bad blood between Stenner and someone higher up on the CIA food chain than Moira.

_I shall have to ask Stenner about that some time. _Carl thought as he went to catch a quick bit of sleep.

He woke up an hour later, observing for a few seconds to make sure he didn't wake Moira. He silently slid out of the bed before he slid the covers up under Moira's chin, watching her stir a little bit and murmur something indistinct before she fell asleep. He noticed the simple act was something Moira rather liked.

Carl tossed on a robe over his sweats and t-shirt before heading upstairs to the roof. He waited on top of the roof, before he saw a man in a black suit, with dark hair and brown eyes.

"Playing house with that CIA officer are we?" the man said, with a sardonic voice.

"Mr. Wisdom, I presume. Stenner told me you'd be in town." Carl replied.

"You still didn't answer my question." Peter Wisdom replied.

"Well, yes." Carl replied, stiffly. He could already tell he wasn't going to like this man.

"You don't seem entirely pleased about the matter." Wisdom replied, "Would you mind if I were to play house with her?"

"I would mind very much, because I would then be forced to enact the role of jealous and irate husband." Carl remarked.

_Huh, clearly some tension there._Wisdom thought. _Perhaps something to pay attention to later._

"Alright then, I am if nothing else a gentleman." Wisdom replied, "Now, let's get down to business, I'd heard of the creature your lot encountered in Borneo." Peter Wisdom replied.

"What of it?" Carl replied.

"Well, I know that Dr. Weaver seems to believe genetic engineering is involved and there's the belief that whoever engineered the bloody thing. And the fact that the bloke had some identification that lead you to this particular garden spot in the world. And that there's the lead that the Chinese are acting up around here, particularly the Ministry of State Security, in buying up medical and scientific companies. Something big is afoot, old boy, that much we know."

"What else do you know?" Carl said.

"Only that you and MacTaggert are investigating a very insignificant piece of a much larger puzzle." Wisdom replied.

"And just how large of a puzzle are we speaking of here?" Carl replied.

"That, my friend, is something even I'm not quite privy to, but all I can say is that there's a lot more to all this than you think." Wisdom replied.

"Right." Carl said. _Looks like a good bit of circle talk is in the offing from the minder Stenner assigned us._

"What do you know about what the Chinese are getting up to over here?" Carl said.

"Well, there's of course the fact that relations between the Chinese and the Soviets have been deteriorating rather rapidly." Wisdom replied, "On one hand you've got the Chinese with all the bit you've seen thus far and of course our actions to try and counter them. And as if that weren't bad enough you've got the Soviets poking their noses around here as well."

"Well given that we're interested in what the Chinese are getting up to, I'm not surprised the Soviets are just as interested." Carl replied.

"I'd advise you to be careful, my friend. Given that you've got the Soviets likely poking about here as well." Wisdom replied.

"So whatever is going on, this army of genetically mutated people, likely being amassed by the Chinese, things are going to get rather hairy with the Soviets getting interested." Carl replied.

"Among other things, yes. But all I can tell you is that things are likely never to be the same with whatever you and Moira uncover. I shall be in touch." Peter Wisdom said before heading off into the night, down a service entrance to the roof.

Carl stood on the roof for a few minutes, reflecting on the rather vague notion Peter Wisdom had given him, the one of investigating an insignificant piece of a much larger puzzle. A secret army of creatures without hearts genetically mutated by artificial means would require tremendous resources and knowledge, hence the Chinese seeking to buy up medical and scientific assets. But if the Chinese weren't behind this whole lot, then who was? Were mutants powerful enough to control minds even now influencing senior members of the Ministry of State Security or even higher levels of the Chinese government?

He headed downstairs, towards their hotel room, making sure that he wasn't followed. He headed into the room, noticing Moira was fast asleep. He slid off his robe before sliding into bed beside Moira.

He felt her turn over, facing towards him. Judging by what he saw, she was dreaming in all likelihood.

_"We came for Shaw. Mission aborted." Moira said, noticing that arriving in the helicopter was a blonde haired woman, not Sebastian Shaw._

_"She's his number two woman." said the man beside her, "That's good enough for me." _

_"The CIA invading the home of a senior Soviet official? Are you crazy?" Moira asked._

_"I'm not CIA." The man said. He ran towards the heavily guarded dacha (Russian countryside home) like a man possessed. By all accounts he should have been riddled full of holes with his actions. _

_But what she witnessed was incredible. She remembered the barbed wire seeming to come to life, ensnaring the guards at this man's behest. She remembered another man, a friend of the first, gifted, but not with the ability to manipulate metal. She remembered the other man going _  
_to chase down the first._

_She remembered the blonde woman, the same one able to cover herself in a glistening cover, from when she inflitrated the Hellfire Club by blending in with the entertainment had provided for their high ranking guests. The one with the aloof demeanor and almost regal bearing that set her apart from a simple showgirl. The one who stood out to the trained eye. _  
_She remembered the Russian operation wound up netting this individual. Remembered her being detained at Headquarters._

_She remembered her debriefing very clearly. All those eyes on her. The Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Secretary of Defense. Tellingly, all those male eyes. She said she only remembered fragments. The attack on Headquarters. Going somewhere after that. Trees. A tropical beach. _

_All those months of her life lost. But something told her that mutants weren't behind what the British called 'Subject One'. No, her instincts were telling her it was something else entirely. But what it was she couldn't tell. Moira MacTaggert, in her subconscious mind, hoped that she would figure out what it was before it was too late._

* * *

**To Be Continued. Up Next, Moira and Carl's investigation continues.**


	3. Hong Kong, Part 2

**Hong Kong, Part 2**

**Disclaimer: Same as before.**

* * *

MI6 Transmission. Authenticate: Foxtrot  
Peninsula Hotel Hong Kong  
Carl Allenby and Moira MacTaggert  
0725 17 April 1963

Moira awoke with a start and noticed Carl was still asleep. He certainly could be a heavy sleeper. Since he woke up earlier than her yesterday she'd made the initial conclusion that he was an early riser by nature. _Probably met with someone from his side of the pond._Moira thought.

She slipped out of bed and made a call to room service for breakfast. She knew Chang had an hour or so left on his shift, and if he turned up she'd pass a message to Eddie through Chang.

It wasn't anything that would get Chang compromised if he were intercepted. It was merely a question about meeting later in the day at lunchtime. And if Chang wasn't the one who turned up, it was just as well that they enjoy breakfast in bed.

It was the knock on the door that finally stirred Carl out of bed. He sat up, noticing Moira talking to Chang. The young man picked up their dishes and the lot from the last night and gave them their breakfast on a tray.

"You read my mind." Carl remarked, "So what's going on?"

"I sent a message to Eddie, seeing if he wanted to meet us for lunch. I do want to know what else he knows about Mr. Han, and his brother." Moira replied.

"Sounds good." Carl replied as he stood up, before heading to the small table in their suite.

As they sat down to breakfast Carl asked, "So what drove your question on Mr. Han's brother?"

"Well, he mentioned his brother worked for one of the biotech companies bought out by the Chinese. I'm wondering what capacity his brother worked in. Asking Mr. Han directly might not be the best way about it, but I can see what my agency might have on him." Moira replied.

"Good idea. And if that isn't interagency cooperation I don't know what is." Carl replied with a smile.

Moira smiled at the remark, as she finished her breakfast, she said, "We've got a meeting with Eddie at lunch."

"Right," Carl said, "I'll head downstairs and grab me a quick swim."

That was a partial truth, yes, but also he had a dead drop, a place to exchange secret messages, near the pool. It wasn't that he didn't trust Moira, but what she didn't know she couldn't spill if she were compromised.

He headed downstairs and went for his swim before heading to a nearby faux Greek column. He knew this was a dead drop, and the position of the slippery floor sign told him he had a message. He located the small piece of paper folded four ways wedged in between a gap in the column and noticed an address in Kowloon written on it.

He headed upstairs, noticing Moira was behind the room divider, getting dressed for their meeting with Eddie. He headed into the bathroom as he glanced at the wall clock, definitely some time to take in a bath.

He turned on the bathtub and let the water run nice and hot before he slid in. After the long swim, all the jetlag from travel, and of course the meeting late at night with Peter Wisdom the hot water was the straw that broke the camel's back and he fell asleep.

He was awakened sometime later by pounding on the door, "Carl! Where are you?"

"Huh, what?" Carl sat up in the tub suddenly and noticed how pickled his hands and feet were. Evidently he had fallen asleep in the tub and judging by the cooler water temperature it had been for some time.

"I'll be right out!" Carl said, draining the water and toweling off before heading out of the room and practically colliding with Moira.

"What did you do? Fall asleep in the tub?" Moira asked.

"I might've lightly dozed." Carl replied.

"The understatement of 1963." Moira quipped.

"Bollocks." Carl replied.

"You were asleep for almost an hour." Moira replied.

"Bollocks, it was only a brief bit, and a light doze at that." Carl replied.

"Light doze? If I didn't hear you snoring like an idling outboard motor I'd think you'd drowned in the bathtub." Moira said.

Despite being somewhat perturbed by his having lost track of time, Moira couldn't help but steal a glance at her partner. It was only fair, after all he had done so when he walked in on her yesterday. She could see a body, lean yet well muscled, with a scar on the left side, just above the left hip.

Carl noticed Moira's eyes on the scar and he commented, "Malaya, 1953, my first tour over there with the Paras. Long story, I'd rather not delve into that at the moment, love."

Moira's eyes locked with his, brown eyes, dark and rich, before she replied, "I understand."

"Thank you." Carl replied.

Moira switched gears, all business again, "We've gotta meet Eddie in ten minutes."

"I'll be there." Carl replied, stepping behind the room divider.

He got dressed and walked towards the door and opened it. With a gesture towards Moira he said, "Shall we?"

They walked to the elevator, Carl taking Moira's right hand with his left, ostensibly to keep up appearances that they were nothing more than a pair of newly wed tourists.

As they got into the lobby Carl noticed Bao wasn't around. Possibly carrying out other operations, but he wouldn't be surprised if the Chinese intelligence officer didn't have other operatives around the area.

Moira spotted Eddie before Carl did and they headed into the hotel's small cafe, taking a seat with Eddie.

"I must thank you for recommending that trip to the museum, it was most enlightening." Carl said, indicating they had a promising lead from that trip.

"Good." Eddie said as they sat down, "The lobby is a bit less crowded than usual, but there's been some new guys in town."

"What new guys?" Moira asked.

"KGB." Eddie replied, "The Russkies seem pretty interested in what the Chinese have been up to as well."

"When did you get that intel?" Moira asked.

"Last night." Eddie said, "A Chinese man known to be often affiliated with one of the biotechnology firms you two mentioned yesterday was murdered. The motive was said to be robbery according to the Hong Kong Police but there were men believed to be Russians spotted in the neighborhood."

"Looks like things are starting to get interesting." Carl began.

"You have no idea." Eddie said as he passed an envelope to them. Inside was a key and an address to an apartment often used by the CIA as a surveillance point.

"I'll take you guys to the safe house. You can use it to get to your dead drop." Eddie replied.

* * *

MI6 Transmission. Authenticate: Foxtrot  
Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower, Hong Kong  
Captain Britain and Peter Wisdom  
0845 17 April 1963

"Looks like things are starting to get interesting." Peter Wisdom began as he and Captain Britain stood atop the clock tower, looking down over Hong Kong.

"Interesting doesn't come close. It's going to be the end of the world as you know it. Or as those people below know it." Captain Britain replied.

"I still don't understand how you know so much about this current threat." Peter Wisdom replied.

"It's the nature of being me." Captain Britain said, "But from what I know about the Heartless, to include the being known as Subject One that MI-6 currently has, we've got problems."

"So what do you know?" Peter Wisdom asked.

"Only marginally more than you know." Captain Britain said, "But it is certain that there is certainly a lot that is afoot for Allenby and MacTaggert."

"I'm certain of that, mate." Peter Wisdom replied, crossly, "But I'd like to make sure both those agents are prepared to deal with what's coming."

"Well what's coming is creatures that consume hearts exist and are undeniably spreading." Captain Britain replied.

"Well, that much we saw, with Subject One in Borneo." Wisdom said peevishly, "And we can tell the thing was genetically engineered. And in all likelihood there's an army of them."

"And you're right." Captain Britain replied.

"But for what purpose?" Wisdom said, "Come man, don't speak in bloody riddles."

"No one raises an army if they have no intent to use it." Captain Britain said, "But that is what MacTaggert and Allenby's mission is, is it not? To determine who is raising this army of beings without hearts, or Heartless for short, and to what end."

"Then what?" Wisdom said.

"Then they brief the decision makers of this world of what awaits them." Captain Britain said, "And it is up to those in power to decide. But we are getting ahead of ourselves, my friend, first they have to get the information together."

"That's a big sodding task." Wisdom replied back.

"Then if they break it up into smaller tasks, they can accomplish it." Captain Britain said, "Let us not forget they have their respective agencies, MI-6 and the CIA working jointly on this matter."

"I frankly share Stenner's distrust of at least one senior bloke MacTaggert works with." Wisdom replied.

"That goes without staying." Captain Britain said, "And besides MacTaggert and Allenby already have some inkling of where all of this may have started. Now next is to find out about is the how these Heartless come into existence."

"Yes, I am aware that MI-6 believes that Subject One was at a halfway stage to its eventual mutation, but into what I'm unsure." Wisdom replied.  
"And therein lies the second question they can answer." Captain Britain replied, "I do believe the CIA does have a source that may have penetrated one of the companies bought out by the Chinese."

"Looks like Agent Bentro came through then." Wisdom said, "I last tracked MacTaggert and Allenby to Kowloon, meeting with a contact in the area."

* * *

Transmission # 6-3-3-1. Designate: NOVEMBER  
Kowloon, Hong Kong  
Moira MacTaggert, and Carl Allenby  
1150 17 April 1963

"Civil unrest in Birmingham, Alabama continues after the arrest of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph Abernathy, and Fred Shuttleworth last week." The BBC World News announcer's voice echoed inside the apartment overlooking the dead drop site. The CIA often maintained the place as a safe house from time to time and

"Looks like a fair amount of issues back home." Carl remarked casually as he eyed the street below.

"That's the pot calling the kettle black." Moira remarked, "From what I've seen your country's been dealing with its own issues overseas and at home."

"All nations have these things. Some more than others." Carl replied.

"The IRA making trouble for six years along the border for one." Moira remarked, "And even between periods of relative peace they've always been a thorn in the side for the United Kingdom."

"That may well be the runner up for the understatement of 1963 at the very least." Carl replied as he raised his binoculars watching the activity in the street below.

"Looks like our boy." Carl remarked as he observed a man picking his way through a crowd. He glanced behind him before walking into the pharmacy across the street.

Eddie had briefed Moira and Carl on the messenger's appearance and the pre-arranged signal before when he'd dropped them off.

Moira raised her own set of binoculars to her eyes, just as the messenger walked out of the pharmacy before he dropped to one knee to tie his shoe. Such an everyday and innocent act that passers by or even observers would think nothing of. However since Moira and Carl had been briefed about this, they knew that the messenger had delivered his message.

"I'm going to get the message." Moira said.

"Right, I'll keep an eye on you, just to ensure you don't have anyone tailing you." Carl replied.

Moira went across the street as Carl leaned against a light post, seemingly casually hanging about, but keeping an eye on Moira the entire time. He watched as she walked towards the side door of the pharmacy, near a crack in the sidewalk, marked by a chalk marking near a dumpster.

He saw the two men almost an instant before they reached Moira from deeper into the alley. One man clamped a hand over Moira's mouth while grabbing a hold of her upper arm.

_Jesus Christ!_Carl thought as he went running across the street, pushing the odd pedestrian out of his way, charging into the alley, reaching underneath his shirt-tail for the Browning High Power he had concealed in there.

It was a split second before he was tackled from behind that he realized he'd been so intent on trying to help Moira that he'd forgotten to check behind him. He reacted on instinct, turning behind him, while tossing an elbow at his opponent's face. A split second after he felt the elbow collide with the assailant's face he twisted again, in the opposite direction, hitting with his elbow before he grabbed a hold of his assailant's leg and rolled forward, pulling hard on the enemy agent's leg, overloading the knee joint and hearing the sound of tendon and bone breaking with the pull. He immediately turned on the now screaming attacker, taking out the Browning and shooting the man in the face before getting to his feet and chasing Moira's attackers down the alley

Moira was struggling with two thugs. The one that had grabbed her still had a hand clamped firmly over her mouth and had twisted her right arm behind her, gripping her wrist. Moira continued to struggle until the second thug punched her in the stomach.

Carl ran until he was certain he wasn't going to hit Moira when he opened fire. He fired the Browning 9mm three times in rapid succession, hitting the thug that had punched Moira twice in the side of the head and once at the neck.

The man holding Moira shoved her to one side, behind a dumpster and Moira barely had enough presence of mind to put her hands out to try to break her fall.

Carl fired the Browning twice more, the first round missing the thug by a hairsbreadth and the second hitting the man's right shoulder.

"Don't even bloody try anything!" Carl said as he ran over and stepped on the man's good hand as he tried to reach under his jacket for a weapon.

Moira sat up, other than a tender spot on her upper right arm and a soreness in the stomach she wasn't hurt.

"Who sent you?" Carl demanded.

The man blurted something back in Chinese and promptly shut his lips. Carl ran over, knowing that the enemy agent in all likelihood had secreted a poison pill of some kind. He tried prying the man's jaw's apart but he was too late. The man spasmed violently and the smell of bitter almonds filled the air.

"A cyanide capsule." Carl replied, "He poisoned himself. What did he say, exactly?"

Moira replied, "I could only understand a bit of his Mandarin, but it was something along the lines of 'Go to Hell...Oh, I'd forgotten, you're headed there anyway'."

Carl tucked the gun away before helping Moira to her feet, "Are you alright?"

"I'll be ok." Moira said gingerly.

"We should get you to the doctor to get checked." Carl said as he walked with her towards the safe house.

Within half an hour Eddie had gotten over to the safe house and took them to the American Embassy. The second they arrived Moira was taken to the medical clinic and Carl was surprised that the Agency folks let him follow her in.

It was around then that he saw her about to undergo an X-ray. Shortly afterward the doctor said, "No bones broken, and nothing worse than a couple bruises. You should be fine in a few days, but in the meantime I advise getting some rest."

Carl stepped out of the room to let Moira change out of the disposable hospital gown and put on her own clothes. After she was dressed Moira walked out and Carl asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Moira said, "Just feeling a little tender where that guy hit me."

"I should've been a bit more observant." Carl said, as they walked out of the Embassy to where Eddie waited for the with the car.

"No need to feel guilty." Moira said.

"Still, I should've been a tad more watchful." Carl replied.

Moira turned to face him, saying, "If you were any less watchful, I wouldn't be here right now."

Carl opened the door of the car to let her step inside the car before he followed her in and closed it.

"Well, about that scar on my side, I can tell you exactly how I came by it." Carl replied.

"You picked a hell of a time to tell me." Moira said.

"Given that it happened on a similar situation, I do think it appropriate." Carl replied.

Curiosity piqued, Moira asked, "So what happened?"

"It was in Malaya, my first tour in 1953 with the Paras." Carl replied, referring to his initial duty with the United Kingdom's Parachute Regiment before he joined the SAS.

"So how long had you been in Malaya when it happened?" Moira asked.

"It was my third patrol when we parachuted into the jungle for a two week mission," Carl continued, "Our mission was twofold. Find the Communists lurking in the jungle and find any tribes in the area, make contact with them, and evacuate them."

* * *

Contact Report, 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment  
Iskander, Southern Malaya  
Lieutenant Carl Allenby  
0700 16 April 1953

"I shall like to thank you for letting me accompany your lot, old boy." Doctor Harold C. Lanyon, the Battalion Surgeon, or chief medical officer, for the 3rd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment as they prepared to load onto the aircraft.

"You're welcome, doctor. I'm sure the lads will appreciate it." Carl replied as they stepped aboard the aircraft.

It had been the young lieutenant's third mission in Malaya, a lot of hiking through jungles and swamps in search of an elusive enemy. This was also searching for local tribes, to build rapport so they wouldn't support the Communist Terrorists the patrol was hunting.

The aircraft thundered down the runway, shuddering and shaking as it climbed to altitude.

"Stand up! Outboard personnel!" The jump master shouted, his loud Scottish brogue echoing loudly.

"Stand up! Outboard personnel!" The soldiers echoed down the line.

Then a half second later, "Stand up! Inboard personnel!"

The command was echoed through the tight metal confines of the aircraft.

"Hook up!" The jump master brayed loudly.

As the command was echoed fifty-two yellow bungee cords on hooks were linked to the steel cabling inside the aircraft. This would deploy the parachutes as the men jumped.

The jumpmaster peered out of the aircraft and shouted, "Go!"

The first jumper was out. The second jumper. Then Carl exited the aircraft, free falling for four seconds before his canopy deployed. He looked up, ensuring the canopy was open with no problems.

_Fifty-one souls are my responsibility._Carl thought. A lot to think of for a man not quite at his twenty-second birthday.

His parachute tangled in the trees and he simply used a length of rope and a trick taught to him by the old hands and within a few seconds he was on the ground and disentangled from his harness. He grabbed his Enfield Jungle Carbine from the weapon's case and his backpack before he joined the rest of his formation.

The Paras immediately set up security before getting oriented to the terrain and beginning their long slog through the jungle.

Four days later they came upon a native village, clearly the Communists had been here. There was the smell of burning thatch that got stronger as the patrol approached the village. A villager, an old man, approached them and the interpreter standing to Carl's left began to translate the man's words.

Evidently they had just missed the Communists. The village elder was speaking almost too fast for the interpreter to keep up, but Carl was able to get the gist of it. The Communists had gone in, stolen a good amount of the village's food supply and even kidnapped some villagers to serve as guides and laborers for their encampment.

The elder pointed in the direction the Communists had gone. Carl made the decision then and there. He would establish comms with headquarters before leaving one squad with the village and taking the remaining two squads with him to go search for the Communists.

However headquarters had a different perspective. They wanted the platoon to hold position and prepare the village for evacuation in one week's time. Carl chafed at the idea, being stationary in an area gave the guerrillas the initiative if they wanted to attack.

While Doctor Lanyon set about speaking to the village headman about checking on ailments for his people, Carl conferred with his sergeants and platoon warrant, discussing patrol schedule, setting up sentries and defense posts, and preparing to carry out their orders.

The next day dawned and Doctor Lanyon had awakened early, having seen to a pregnant woman in the village who had gone into labor that night. First squad, with twelve men, had gone onto patrol an hour earlier when Carl had blinked sleep from his eyes and started his small field stove, brewing a bit of tea. Once that was done he poured the contents into a tin cup before grabbing his carbine in one hand and walking over to talk to Lanyon.

"How's everything going?" Carl asked.

"She went into labor not to long ago, I'd say about an hour or so." Lanyon said as he placed a cool compress on the woman's forehead.

The groans of the laboring woman were suddenly joined by the sounds of gunshots. "Excuse me." Carl said as he forgot about his tea and chambered a round into his carbine and joining up with third squad.

The squad was preparing to leave the village and head towards first squad's position when a runner approached them.

"Oi, runner, you're lucky you didn't get shot." Corporal Ficketts, the squad leader, bellowed at the young man, who was nearly out of breath.

"Leftenant!" came the shout from the runner between gasps.

Carl raced over and recognized the runner as a recent arrival to the unit, Private Watts.

"What's going on?" Carl said.

"The squad made contact sir." Watts said with a gasp after taking along slug of water out of his canteen.

"Casualties?" Carl asked.

"None sir. Small element of three, scouting party. We managed to kill two of them but the third got away." Watts said, "Sergeant Danvers sent me ahead."

Indeed the rest of first squad was headed back to the village, some men carrying the rifles of the recently dispatched enemy and captured documents.

The remainder of that day had passed uneventfully till around dusk when the perimeter was hit with an attack. Explosions sounded as grenades were thrown and a machine gun opened up. The Paras responded in kind, tracers lighting up the darkening skies.

The volume of return fire was lessening and Carl gave the command, "Cease fire! Cease fire!"

The shooting stopped and for a second the village and the jungle were both quiet, not even the sound of monkeys, which were always noisiest at full moons could be heard.

"Right, we'll rest, fifty percent security at all times." Carl said, letting half the men sleep while the other half stood watch with a switch out at midnight, "And then we'll do an assessment at first light."

_Bloody probing attack._Carl thought, referring to the assault from earlier. Clearly the guerrillas were testing the perimeter the platoon had put in at the village. The attack proper, would be coming soon.

It came the next morning, in a foggy day just as the sun was rising. It was when a sentry at the perimeter heard a noise in the brush near the outside of the village and fired a single shot into it that all hell broke loose.

Grenades exploded. Machine guns opened up. Whistles sounded from all around. From near the perimeter guerrillas that had been creeping up on the position stood up and charged. The platoon opened fire, shooting rapidly.

Carl snapped two shots off with his carbine at attacking guerrillas, killing one and injuring a second before grabbing the radio.

"Any station, any station, this is Alpha Five Zero. We are under attack..." he said, transmitting his coordinates.

"Lieutenant!" shouted Doctor Lanyon as he shoved Carl out of the way. A charging guerrilla with a rifle on a bayonet came running, hoping to skewer the British officer. Carl felt the sharp pain of the blade slashing above his left hip. Lanyon was clutching his stomach as the bayonet plunged into it.

Carl pulled his pistol out and promptly emptied all six of the rounds from the Webley revolver into the guerrilla's head and chest. The man fell over dead as Carl continued to direct the battle both over the radio and through shouted commands.

His radio calling brought several artillery rounds crashing into the jungle, killing many of the attacking guerrillas and forcing their retreat.

Lanyon lay on the ground wounded, one of four such casualties. One of the medics was currently treating his wounds. Beside him lay the dead guerrilla, on one side. Carl used his booted foot to turn the man over, seeing for the first time a young man, barely older than his twenty-one years of age.

* * *

Transmission # 6-3-3-9. Designate: OSCAR  
US Embassy, Hong Kong  
Moira MacTaggert, and Carl Allenby  
1250 17 April 1963

"So what happened?" Moira asked.

"We drove the guerrillas away, for a cost of two dead and four wounded." Carl replied, "And a few days later the village was evacuated to a secure village our engineers had built."

"What about Doctor Lanyon?" Moira asked.

"They flew him out on the first helicopter we landed. Thank God he survived, but it was touch and go for at least six weeks." Carl replied, "Those were lives I was responsible for. Two lads who wouldn't see home again. I never want that to happen again to anyone who's life I'm responsible for."

"So you feel responsible for me?" Moira said.

"Yes, I do." Carl said.

Moira regarded him for a moment and said, "I understand where you're coming from, but I want you to understand this. I'm no helpless damsel in distress."

"I understand that, and I didn't imply otherwise." Carl said, "And I apologize if I did give that impression with anything I said or did."

Moira replied, "I didn't mean to be snippy with you. I guess its a leftover of having pulled myself out of the typing pool and constantly having to prove myself time and again when they finally let me work in the field."

"I can't say I know, but I can understand where you're coming from." Carl replied, gently putting his right hand onto her left shoulder, "As a partner in this case I would be remiss if I was not concerned for your welfare."

"It's touching, and I appreciate it." Moira said, "And as long as we're clear that I'm not a damsel in distress that needs rescuing every five minutes we should be alright."

"Right." Carl said, "What was in that dead drop by the way?"

"Microfilm of some kind. And also an address in Kowloon." Moira replied, producing the hollow metal cylinder and a folded piece of paper with words in Madarin written on it.

"You can read Chinese?" Carl asked.

"It comes from my mother." Moira replied, "She did some missionary work in China alongside her parents for years off and on."

"She taught you, yes?" Carl asked.

Moira smiled and said, "Yes."

"Might I ask what languages you speak?" Carl replied.

"Chinese and Russian are languages I both speak and read." Moira replied.

"In the alley you mentioned you could barely understand the bloke." Carl said, "The one that suicided before we could get any info out of him."

"It was because he was speaking so fast, my Mandarin's a bit rusty. I've mostly had to use my Russian of late." Moira replied.

"I can see the Chinese from your mum, but where did you learn Russian?" Carl asked, cocking his head to one side, with a slight squint, his characteristic curious expression.

"I have a minor in Russian from Georgetown University." Moira said.

"Curiouser and curiouser." Carl replied.

"Nice Lewis Carroll reference." Moira remarked as Eddie walked over to the couch they were sitting at.

"So what about the blokes who attacked Moira? Any information on who they work for?" Carl asked as Eddie walked in.

"I would've preferred you brought us a live prisoner rather than two corpses." Eddie said, peevishly, "But from what I was able to piece together, they were hired muscle for a local Triad."

"I'd prefer the two wankers that attacked Moira be dead vice my partner be dead." Carl replied.

Moira chimed in, somewhat annoyed, "If you two are quite finished filling the lobby with enough hostility and testosterone to start World War III we could continue with this."

"Anyway," Eddie said, "The Triad connection gets us nowhere, as Kowloon is a known hotbed of their activities. Anyone could've paid them."

"Anyone being the wankers in the MSS?" Carl remarked.

"I'm not so convinced you two are burned just yet, but I'd be careful." Eddie replied.

"Well, it looks as though we're headed back into Kowloon, given the address written in the note our contact left at the dead drop is in Kowloon." Carl remarked.

Moira asked, "What about the two dead Triad thugs? Any sign of the MSS being on alert?"

"Not that we've observed so far," Eddie said, "Given that Kowloon's a rough place and corpses can have any number of authors I don't think your actions aroused much suspicion."

"What was in the microfilm, by the way?" Carl said.

Eddie took the envelope from under his arm and opened it. Inside was a series of photographs, with the first one of a youth cowering in the corner of a cell of some kind. In the foreground a fellow carrying a syringe could be glimpsed.

The second photograph showed the youth, a dusty street kid, clothing ragged, with clumps of hair falling out. He was covering his face with his hands, but it was easy to see the yellowish orb where his left eye used to be. Patches of midnight black covered his body in various places and antennae protruded from his head.

"Bloody Hell, that's like the mutant my team encountered in Borneo." Carl remarked.

"I think if we had any doubts about genetic engineering, we had them answered. I just wonder where these photos were taken." Moira replied.

"A science and technology lab of some sort, but we'd have to keep analyzing and running sources to see exactly which one." Eddie replied.

"Well it could be any of the places the MSS bought out." Moira remarked.

"And there's quite a few of them." Eddie said, "So we've got our work cut out for us."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Moira said, "We have a lead with that address."

"Already ahead of you, Agent MacTaggert." Eddie said, "I'm getting a couple more folks to go with us as backup before we hit up Kowloon. It's best we wait a while till the uproar dies down."

"I agree." Carl replied, "Let the whole lot cool off for a bit, and then we go back in."

"Alright, but let's not go in with too big a team. That might draw a little bit more attention than we need." Moira replied.

"Right, we'll stay as discrete as possible to get the information we need." Carl replied, "I just hope we can get a hold of more information on these artifically induced mutations before anything else rears its ugly head."

* * *

MI-6 Transmission. Authenticate: Alpha  
Borneo, 5 Kilometers from Indonesian Border  
Staff Sergeant M. Lucas Fosby, 22 Special Air Service  
1000 17 April 1963

Staff Sergeant Lucas Fosby took a slug of water from his canteen, tucked it away, and wiped sweat from his brow before he picked up his AR-15 rifle and walked out of the house. The village near the Indonesian border was being used by British forces as a forward staging base for operations into Indonesian territory. Ever since Captain Allenby had been seconded to MI-6 he was commanding D Squadron's 17 Troop of 22 Special Air Service.

He saw Lance Corporal Greg Whyte at his radio set near the front porch. "I've got a report from one of our patrols. They've got visual on an Indonesian encampment and they're moving to reconnoiter it."

"If it's a sodding company sized unit, why in God's name are they going into it?" Fosby asked.

"I was getting to that, Staff." Greg said, using the abbreviation of Fosby's rank, "There's no one in the camp."

"Abandoned?" Fosby asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No. Everyone in the camp is dead." Greg said, "It appears to be the work of the same sort of mutant we encountered with Captain Allenby eight days ago."

Just then another transmission came over the radio, "Base this is Lima 36, we've got company..."

Bursts of gunfire could be heard. Rapid bursts from the Armalite rifles accompanied by the louder bangs of single shots from the heavier Self Loading Rifles.

Fosby was immediately on the radio, talking to HQ at Kuala Lampur, telling them about the contact and Lima 36's position.

Trooper Kenny McCallister walked by just then as Fosby said, "Tell the lads get their kit together, prepare to move out. We've got a unit under fire, and a helo on its way to fetch us."  
"Aye." Kenny said, already heading over to get Eric and Stan ready for the upcoming operation.

Greg was already breaking down his radio set to stuff into a backpack. Fosby went to grab the rest of his own kit. He checked everything, making sure all that he had was in place before he slung his pack and grabbed up his rifle.

He headed to the fallow field outside the village, which Kenny had just marked with a smoke grenade for the helicopter. Greg was on one knee with his handset in one hand and his own Armalite rifle the other hand.

Eric and Stan were scanning the route towards the village as a matter of maintaining security.

"Right lads. We've got Lima 36 in contact inside just inside the Indonesian border. A reaction force of two other teams and a force of Paras are enroute too. It may well be more of the same mutants we ran into eight days earlier." Fosby said, "I needn't tell you that the bloody spooks got their wind up over this. That's why we're going overt, or relatively so. No quiet sneaking over the border this time."

The helicopter circled before touching down and Fosby and the rest of the team rushed aboard it. The aircraft took off, heading towards the Indonesian encampment less than a mile and half from the border. It hovered a few feet above the ground and Fosby and his teammates leaped out of it, racing for the village to link up with Lima 36, a four man patrol, or 'brick', led by Corporal Thomas Mullins.

"Other birds are five minutes out, Staff." Greg said, holding his radio handset against his head while cradling his rifle.

"Thanks mate." Fosby said, running to link up with Mullins who he spotted behind a fallen tree, aiming his Armalite rifle out towards the treeline.

"What's going on?" Fosby asked.

"We were reconnoitering the camp, thinking it abandoned when we saw the corpses." Mullins said, "Then they came out of the jungle, right at us. We were barely able to drive them off..."

He indicated several corpses, resembling Subject One, but different. These things showed no sign of ever having been human at all. They were all between three to four feet in height, skin darker than midnight, with antennae, clawed hands, and glowing yellow eyes.

"We're loaded for bear, as the Yanks say." Fosby said, "We've got Paras and two other teams from D Squadron inbound. Have you seen anything else?"

"Not yet. The things attacked us and we killed a few of them before the rest retreated." Mullins replied, "But the bloody Indos would likely have heard the racket. What's the order?"

"Hold the encampment. We've got spooks headed in with the flight to conduct an analysis." Fosby replied.

As if on cue several British helicopters flew over into the camp. Several Paras and SAS men fanned out to form a perimeter around the camp. Three men and a woman in unmarked jungle fatigues carrying sub machineguns came over.

"Spooks." Mullins remarked, indicating the likelihood that they were a team of MI-6 types.

The oldest of the three men, a tall muscular fellow built like a rugby forward with silver hair headed over to them.

"Staff Fosby?" the man said.

Fosby headed over to the man walking towards them with long strides, "I'm Michael Lansor, I'm here to examine the site with the mutant encounter."

"Right, sir. We've got the site secured, but we're not sure how long we can hold the area off. The Indos in all likelihood are alerted to our being in the area." Fosby replied.

It was around then that the sound of gunshots from the eastern end of the perimeter could be heard. The shooting began to steadily increase in intensity before it suddenly ceased.

Fosby raced down the perimeter as fast as he could go, reaching the furthest listening post where the four men manning it were reloading their rifles.

"What happened?" Fosby said.

"Indo patrol, about a squad sized group." One of the paratroopers said as he reloaded his SLR.

Fosby looked out at the jungle, seeing two corpses in Indonesian army uniforms, and a couple trails of blood leading into the jungle.

"That will have only been a probe." Fosby said, "The Indos will likely hit harder, with more men."

As if prophetic, more shooting sounded, further to the southern side of the perimeter. "Testing our perimeter, where we're at, and then the sods will probably call in artillery fire."

"Greg! Get on the horn, call the big guns in." Fosby shouted.

As he shouted the whistling sound of mortar rounds flying through the air could be heard.

"Incoming!" The shouts echoed around the perimeter as the British soldiers grabbed what cover they could as the Indonesians fired rockets and mortars into their former encampment.

Explosions rocked the perimeter and the camp itself, causing the ground to shake. Fosby could hear Greg on his radio, calling in a British artillery battery to rain its own death and destruction at the Indonesian positions.

The earth shook with a series of vicious bangs and more loud booms before an eerie silence filled the air. The only things Fosby could hear was a slight ringing in his ear and the thudding of his own heart.

Scanning the jungle. Flicking the safety on his Armalite between burst, safe, and fire. Burst. Fire. Safe. Waiting to see when the Indos would attack.

Movement in the bushes ahead, a slight glint of a weapon muzzle. Fosby squeezed the trigger on his Armalite and gunned down the Indonesian soldier. Around the perimeter savage battle cries echoed. Grenades exploded. Rifles fired. The rapid stacatto blasts of Armalite rifles on automatic. Louder bangs from the SLRs and more bursts from the Bren light machineguns along the perimeter.

The Indonesians opened fire with their own PKM machineguns and AK-47 rifles as they closed with the British perimeter.

A grenade exploded nearby, killing Rifleman Craycroft instantly and wounding two others near him. Fosby immediately emptied the last of his magazine into Craycroft's killed before reaching for another magazine from his pouches before putting it in his weapon and pulling the bolt to the rear, then letting it close.

"Enemy infantry! To the left flank!" came Mullins' shout as he loosed off a burst of fire from his own Armalite.

Kenny was behind a Bren gun who's gunner was among the wounded nearby, firing the weapon in short 3-5 round bursts at the attacking Indonesians before he rolled out of the way of a grenade thrown at his position.  
Eric blasted the grenade thrower twice with his SLR as Greg bellowed into the radio, "We need artillery fire! Danger close! These coordinates..."

The whistling sound of large shells hurtling through the air could be heard as explosives rained into the ranks of the attacking Indonesians, hurling shrapnel and chunks of wood from demolished trees at them.

The Indonesian attack stalled, and in the silence that followed Mullins said, "I hope those wankers are done."

"The bloody Indos will probably hit back harder." Fosby said as he counted his magazines that were left.

"Not those wankers. The other wankers. The spooks." Mullins said.

"I hope so too then." Fosby said as he grimly reloaded his Armalite rifle.

* * *

Transmission # 4-7-3-1. Designate: PAPA  
Kowloon, Hong Kong  
Eddie Bentro, Susan Ling, Moira MacTaggert, and Carl Allenby  
1700 17 April 1963

The van pulled quietly into an alleyway near the large apartment building. It backed in so the vehicle could exit quickly. Two other agents drove the van while Moira MacTaggert, Carl Allenby, Eddie Bentro, and another CIA agent, Susan Ling, sat in the back of the van.

Ling was of Chinese-American descent, in her mid-twenties, a linguist fluent in Mandarin and two other Chinese dialects, hence her posting to the CIA in Hong Kong.

"How well do you know Kowloon?" Moira asked Ling.

"Well enough to know that after dark this place can get dangerous and that a corpse here can have any number of offers, so our British friend's actions won't have stirred too much attention in the underground." Ling replied.

"And hopefully we can get in and out of that address relatively quickly." Carl replied.

"Hopefully." Ling said, "The apartment is used by one of my sources, and he's used to me coming by every so often."  
"Does he spook easily?" Carl replied.

"He's a bit flightly, but he's not completely paranoid." Ling replied as the van stopped. Eddie had stepped out of the vehicle, followed by Susan, Moira and Carl.

"We'll head up to meet Susan's source. He's used to dealing with her." Eddie said.

"And we'll check the outside." Carl replied and as soon as Eddie and Susan were out of earshot he added, "I do recall there's a report of an often used MSS dead drop in this area."

"Sneaky." Moira remarked with a smile, "So someone should tell the folks working in counterintelligence to hide their street maps of Kowloon..."

"Knowledge is power." Carl said with a smile, "And a bit of fishing never hurt anyone."

"Unless the Chinese are using a favorite Russian trick, the dead drop spike." Moira remarked, referring to a Russian booby trap, whereupon documents were hidden in metal tubes. If the lid was opened the wrong way the explosive in the dead drop spike would detonate.

"True. And if the Chicoms know we've found a dead drop location we might have a problem till they move it." Carl remarked, "However, let's keep that location in mind, just in case either of us is of a mind to do a quick interception."

Moira said, "I do like how you think."

"Right. We'll keep the fact that I know all about this dead drop our little secret." Carl said as Susan and Eddie headed down the stairs.

The foursome got into the van and drove away from Kowloon and back to the Embassy. It was as they drove towards the Embassy that Eddie reached over to light a cigarette. He was sitting next to Moira in the van.

Moira immediately reacted with a start, "Will you put that out? That's pretty rude to light up without saying excuse me."

Carl noticed Moira's reaction. He noticed Moira's reaction was a bit more than annoyance. He could sense that it was a mix of fear and a little bit of anger. He knew he'd have to talk to her about that.

"Jeez, sorry." Eddie remarked as he put out the cigarette.

Carl did recall Moira muttering something about someone being drunk in her sleep and the thing with the cigarette made him draw a couple conclusion. At one point she had been abused in a relationship or she had been tortured during an interrogation involving a lit cigarette. Judging by what he'd observed earlier he figured the former to be more likely than the latter.

Carl noticed Moira seemed tense for a good bit afterward as they headed back towards the hotel, but he decided to go the professional route.

"So what did your contact leave you?" Carl asked.

"Another address, we'll run it through our database but it sounds like one of the recently bought out biotech companies." Susan remarked.

"Which aligns with the pictures on the microfilm." Moira replied, all business again.

"We'll take the message for analysis in our labs." Susan said.

"Wouldn't it also be best to let us have it?" Carl remarked.

"Ok, you can copy it down." Susan said as she rattled off another address. Moira wrote it down, and was able to discern another word written on the scrap of paper through the rear vie mirror above the steering console. Carl saw it to, from beside Susan out of the corner of his eye.

It was after they'd stopped at the hotel and stepped off that Carl remarked, "I can't help but think Susan wasn't quite forthcoming about that word written on the paper."

"You saw it too?" Moira replied.

"Yes, but I don't read Chinese." Carl replied.

"It was only one word." Moira remarked, "But pretty odd."

"Well what was it?" Carl asked as they walked into the lobby of the hotel.

"Serum." Moira said.

"Serum? What the devil? I suppose it'll have something to do with these biotech companies, but I'm not too sure." Carl replied.

"Neither am I." Moira replied as they stepped into the elevator and headed up to their room.

"Remind me never to try to hide any information from you, my dear." Carl said, "I'm beginning to wonder what lengths you'll go to for information."

It was as the elevator door closed that Moira said, "Well there was an incident in Las Vegas..."

* * *

MI-6 Official Transmission  
Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong  
Moira MacTaggert and Carl Allenby  
2200 17 April 1963

"Wait, so you actually stripped down to your underwear to blend in with a group of showgirls to infiltrate this Hellfire Club?" Carl asked. Moira had mentioned the details as they got upstairs and Carl's mind was racing with all the imagery which began to get progressively naughtier with each floor.

"It was the only way I could get in." Moira said, from behind the room divider as she undressed and slid on her night shirt, the blue one that terminated to about mid thigh.

"I see the perception of the 'stuffy career CIA woman' is going right out the bloody window." Carl remarked.

"You are not funny." Moira remarked.

"For what it's worth, I never did judge you with that perception." Carl said, "And nor was I attempting to be funny."

"I can never tell with you." Moira quipped as she walked around from the room divider.

"Oh for God's sake, British humor is not that tough to comprehend." Carl replied.

"I'm not talking about British humor, which by the way has its peculiarities," Moira replied, "I was talking about you."

"What specifically?" Carl said.

"How I never seem to be able to tell what you're thinking." Moira said.

"Well owing to the fact that we've only been working together for a few days, three to be exact, it's not like we should know each other as intimately as a married couple." Carl replied.

"Well I do think of myself as fairly observant." Moira replied, "Yet I don't have you figured out."

"Well, fair lady," Carl said, "An air of mystery is important in my line of work."

"You are not funny, you know that." Moira said, "And that was a poor attempt at a James Bond by the way."

"Oh for crying out loud, Moira, I'm no Sean Connery." Carl replied.

Moira chuckled slightly as Carl went around to the room divider to get ready for bed, "And I suppose you're going to quip I'm no Ursula Andress?"

"I wouldn't dream of saying anything of the bloody sort." Carl replied. _Of course I find you far more attractive, but I might be a bit biased._

He finished dressing for bed and turned off all but the bedside light before he slid into bed and turned off the lights before falling asleep.

He was awakened a few hours later, by a jolt to the side. Carl immediately woke up and sat up. Moira had pushed his side. He could make out a few words she was muttering in her sleep.

"Joe, you're drunk." Moira said.

_Seems like there's a bloke in the picture._Carl thought as he observed her.

He moved a bit so if she did push or anything of that sort it wouldn't hit him.

"Stop it! You're hurting me!" Moira said, still asleep.

_Bastard. I'll kick the shit out of him if he's even remotely in the picture._Carl thought. Even in the three days he'd known her, he found Moira to be an attractive, intelligent and overall wonderful woman.

It was a she turned over that he saw her sleeve roll up, and the unmistakable marking of a cigarette burn could be seen on her right arm. He hadn't noticed it before, but it was there, clear as day. _Forget kicking the shit out of him. If I think I can get away with it I'll kill the bastard. _Carl thought.

After Moira kicked out again, this one connecting to slightly below his knee joint Carl decided to try something else.

"Hey, Moira, I don't know if you can hear me, but here I go." Carl said, gingerly moving close to her, putting an arm around her shoulders, "He can't hurt you anymore."

_The bruise on her temple throbbed and she tasted blood from the cut on her lip. She could feel the drywall behind her and the strong hands pinning her to the wall. She could smell the stink of booze. Could see the sneer on his face._

_"Joe, you're drunk." Moira said._

_"Shut up! Do you want me to give you another slap!" Joe said, angrily, pushing her hard into the wall._

_"Stop it! You're hurting me!" Moira screamed. _

_"You always think you can do better, with those pretty looks! Time to take you down a notch!" Joe said, taking the lit cigarette held in his other hand, going towards her face, towards her left eye. _

_She raised her arm and felt the cigarette burn into the skin. Heard her own scream. Smelled the scent of charred skin and tobacco mixing with the smell of booze in the room. _

_Something incongruous happened. She felt someone holding her, but not restraining her. And then she heard a voice. Not her own, and not Joe's. She immediately recognized Carl Allenby's voice and that she had to be dreaming._

_She heard his reassurance, felt him holding onto her, it was a tight hold, but not enough to hurt her. _

_She could hear him continuing to try to help her, saying that Joe couldn't hurt her anymore. But was he really doing this, or was she dreaming it?_

Moira's eyes fluttered open, finding herself lying on the bed on her side. Carl had his left arm around her, holding her close to him.

He regarded her with concern in his eyes and Moira's eyes met his. Carl could feel her trembling, whatever she was dreaming about had to have been extremely intense.

"What happened?" Carl said.

"It's nothing, just a bad dream." Moira said.

"A bit more than that it seems." Carl said, "One thing's for sure, you've got a strong kick."

"Oh my God, I'm sorry." Moira replied.

"It's alright, you didn't damage anything vital." Carl said.

"Well, in that incident I was aiming there." Moira replied, with a somewhat weak smile.

"What makes the difference is that it didn't land." Carl replied, "Care to talk about it?"

Moira hesitated for a moment before saying, "He was a little older than me, a dashing young Army officer that swept me off my feet. I was young, still in college, my sophomore year to be exact. We moved in together halfway through my first semester."

Carl listened as Moira continued to tell her story, "My friends were all warning me about something they didn't like about the guy, but I was so lovestruck I didn't pay attention. It was a few weeks later that he started being controlling, asking where I was, drinking heavily..."

"It was almost at the start of my junior year, the summer I didn't come home for vacation like I usually did." Moira said, "He got really drunk one night and then he pinned me against the wall, holding a lit cigarette. I fought back and he chased me out of the apartment. I barely escaped with my life."

"I hope they put the wanker in jail." Carl said.

"They did." Moira said, "It took me a few years before I was able to really move past it all...and honestly I'm not sure I'm completely past it all."

"I'm terribly sorry to hear all that." Carl said, "Though for the life of me I can't imagine why he'd do such things to a charming, intelligent and lovely lady such as yourself."

_Way to telegraph, mate._ Carl thought. _It seems a tad sudden to be attracted to someone. Bollocks, I'm past the attracted stage. I do believe I've fallen in love. And I bloody telegraphed it. God knows if she feels the same way. _

Moira regarded him for a moment. Clearly with what he was saying her regarded her as more than a friend and colleague. She was feeling something herself regarding this Englishman, regarding him as something more than a colleague and new found friend. It was too early for Moira to tell if it was love, but it was a matter of letting her heart decide.

_It's too early to tell._ Moira thought. _But I know it's more than a friend. I know it's something more, but it's too early. Remember how smitten you were with Joe? And then you discovered the ugly side of him?_

Some other part of Moira's mind reacted to those thoughts. _He's not Joe, though. He's nothing like him. Stop comparing every man you consider to Joe._

"Look, Carl, it's early, or late depending on your viewpoint." Moira said, looking at the clock which read half past one, "I think we've got a bit of talking to do."

"Yes, I know. This could be awkward, but it could also be something wonderful. We'll just have to wait and see." Carl replied.

Moira replied, regarding him with those rich brown eyes, "Promise we'll talk about this?"

"On my honor as an officer in Her Majesty's Army." Carl said with a smile.

Moira returned it, before shyly asking, "Do you think you could hold me for now? I'm still feeling a little shaken from that nightmare."

Carl put his arms around Moira, holding her against him, not too tightly but not loosely either. Moira rested her head on his left shoulder as she snuggled close and closed her eyes. Carl tugged the covers up to her shoulder, hearing her sigh softly. That brought a smile to his face as he began to fall asleep.

* * *

**To Be Continued...**

**A/N: Owing to the extradimensional nature of Captain Britain I figured he was a natural choice for the Kingdom Hearts Crossover. **


	4. Hong Kong, Part 3

Hong Kong, Part III

Disclaimer: Same as before.

* * *

Transmission # 4-5-4-1. Designate: India  
Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong  
Moira MacTaggert and Carl Allenby  
0700 18 April 1963

Moira's eyelids fluttered open, as she looked up to see Carl lying awake, his arm around her waist. He was looking down and when he saw her awake he smiled at her.

"Someone's awake." Carl began.

"Someone certainly knows how to state the obvious." Moira said with a smile as she adjusted her position, rubbing her head against his shoulder, "God, it's one of those mornings where I just want to sleep in."

"Well we can't, not really at any rate." Carl replied, "After all we do have to meet Eddie and Susan at the Embassy at nine. And we do also have to talk about last night."

"Mhm, yes?" Moira said.

"I'm sure you're aware that this could complicate things." Carl replied.

Moira propped herself up on one elbow, making her face level with Carl's, "Don't think I don't know that."

"I wasn't insulting your intelligence one bit. I simply was stating the facts. After all you work for the CIA and I'm an officer of Her Majesty's SAS, seconded to MI-6." Carl moved a bit, shifting a tad closer to Moira.

Moira said, "Yet again you're saying the obvious."

"Given our governments are allies, however we do keep our secrets, there's another complication." Carl said, gently brushing a stray strand of hair away from Moira's face.

Moira smiled and leaned a little closer. She could feel her heart racing in her chest as they faced each other.

"Such as?" Moira said with a smile.

"More would be telling." Carl said, returning the smile.

Moira remarked, as she shifted a little closer to him, "This could be awkward."

Carl angled his face to one side, so their noses wouldn't bump, "But this could be something wonderful."

His lips touched Moira's lightly, his tongue lightly probing her lips. Feeling Moira's mouth open slightly, her tongue and his entwining in the kiss.

Moira closed her eyes, thoughts and emotions in a swirl. _So much for trying not to rush things. _Moira thought.

For want of air the kiss ended as Carl said, "We do have a lot to talk about. And consider that a down payment."

Moira smiled and said, "You do know that your 'down payment' complicates things, right?"

"Well, complicated is often the nature of relationships." Carl quipped.

"Look, it's still awkward, and we still have a lot to talk about." Moira replied as she sat up in bed, "How we're going to handle this is and work together is just one of those things."

"I don't suppose where we'll spend our honeymoon is anywhere on that list?" Carl replied, in a semi-joking manner.

"That was not funny." Moira replied.

"Sorry love, just trying to ease the situation with a bit of humor." Carl said, with a smile.

"This is serious, you know." Moira remarked, as she slipped out of the covers and stood up, looking at him, arms crossed as she blinked her eyes, "So I would appreciate it if you don't treat it like a joke."

Carl could see the conflict and a bit of the pain in Moira's eyes and he said, "I know this is so many forms of complicated that I'd rather not begin to list."

He stood up from the bed, gently taking Moira into his arms, holding her close to him as he said, "And I'm fairly certain I know how conflicted you feel. And I apologize for making light of those feelings. I didn't mean to be demeaning or unkind. I know what you're afraid of risking because I'm afraid too. Of all the complications that this is likely to bring to both our lives."

Moira breathed in deep, closing her eyes as she said, "I can't just completely go out on a limb and say that 'it could be something wonderful', but I'm open to what the future holds. Just give me time."

"As much as you need." Carl said, as he held her close. Moira smiled, still feeling a bit conflicted, before she stepped away from him to the bathroom.

"I do hope you won't be too long." Carl remarked.

"Well, I'm going to take a shower and not a bath." Moira said, "And unlike some people I'm not going to fall asleep in the tub."

"Oh for God's sake that was yesterday." Carl replied.

"It can be years from now, but you're never living that down." Moira replied, "I can see the headline now: **Giant Pink Raisin Discovered in Tub, British Soldier's Whereabouts Unknown.**"

"Bollocks." Carl said as he lay in bed, waiting for Moira to finish her shower. After both of them had gotten cleaned up and dressed they headed downstairs to meet up with Eddie. And lo and behold Carl got a glimpse of Boquin Bao, watching he and Moira's movements.

He was holding hands with her as they walked down the stairs and through the lobby. Part of it was to keep the appearance of being a married couple and the other part was due to newly revealed feelings.

Eddie walked them to the car and they drove to the Embassy, by an indirect route to avoid surveillance. As they walked towards a back room Carl noticed Peter Wisdom walking in, wearing a visitor's patch clipped to his jacket.

"Ah, I see you noticed Mr. Wisdom." Eddie remarked, "I've had some dealings with him in the past and he possibly might be able to help."

"Anything else on the microfilm?" Moira asked.

"We've narrowed it to a laboratory facility near the Victoria Harbor area." Susan replied as the three of them walked into the back room.

"Let me guess, bought out by mysterious people, very likely from the People's Republic of China?" Moira replied.

Susan nodded, "And one additional word was written on that scrap of paper from yesterday."

"What was it?" Wisdom asked.

"Serum." Susan replied.

"Given we saw a syringe in at least one photograph, that's not too far fetched. But I wonder what that serum is." Moira replied.

"Most likely what mutated the bloke in the microfilm and what mutated Subject One." Carl replied.

"Well that certainly does help prove the more than one theory." Moira replied.

"Well, no longer a theory." Wisdom said, "More like a fact that there's a rather large number of these mutants."

"What do you mean?" Moira asked.

"Some of our lads got into a bit of a scrap in Borneo yesterday. I got the cable from the Embassy, and they sent me to talk to you." Wisdom said, "That's part of why I'm here."

"What happened?" Carl asked.

"Some of the lads in D Squadron, 17 Troop and blokes from the Paras got into a massive scrape with the Indos 5 Kilometers into Indonesian territory. Quite a few people were killed." Peter replied.

"Any of the lads from D Squadron?" Carl said.

"No dead from D Squadron, according to the report, one serious injury." Peter replied.

"Did they say who it was?" Carl replied. Moira instinctively stepped closer to him.

"Lance Corporal Greg Whyte." Peter replied.

"What happened?" Carl asked.

"It was shortly after our lads had completed their analysis and were bugging out when they got hit, hard, by the Indos trying to overrun their position." Peter replied.

* * *

MI-6 Transmission. Authenticate: Charlie  
Borneo, 5 Kilometers from Indonesian Border  
Staff Sergeant M. Lucas Fosby, 22 Special Air Service  
1300 17 April 1963

"Bloody Indos." Fosby said as he reloaded a 20 round magazine into his Armalite. Yet another attack by the Indonesians had just been driven back.

"How long are the bloody spooks going to take?" Kenny said from behind the machine gun.

Greg was on the radio, answering questions from the British command post on the other side of the border, directing artillery fire at distant Indonesian targets.

Fosby stood up from the position, where the three spooks were preparing body bags for the strange mutants killed by Mullins' patrol earlier that day.

"Oi!" Fosby shouted as he ran into the clearing, "How much longer?"

"We're wrapping up." Lewis, one of the MI-6 men, said, "Five minutes."

_Nothing bloody takes five minutes. _Fosby thought as he informed the positions about the helicopters being five minutes out as he walked the perimeter.

The sound of the helicopters could be heard approaching. As could the sounds of the Indonesians approached. They could hear the helicopters and knowing the Brits were making a run for it they were determined to overrun the British perimeter.

Fosby fired a short burst at an Indonesian soldier that took cover behind a half rotted tree stump before he lobbed a grenade behind it. The British fought their way back, slowly giving ground as they headed towards their helicopters.

Greg got up to run before a grenade exploded near him. Fosby sprinted over, grabbing the wounded and barely conscious radio man behind the collar and dragging him towards the helicopters.

Kenny came running as well, helping Fosby drag the wounded Greg into the aircraft. The British helicopters took off, amidst a torrent of Indonesian rockets and bursts of machine gun fire.

* * *

Transmission # 1-9-5-0. Designate Oscar  
American Embassy, Hong Kong  
Moira MacTaggert, Carl Allenby, Eddie Bentro  
1100 18 April 1963

"So what did they find at the cost of six dead and three wounded?" Carl replied after Wisdom finished his story.

"More of those things, evidently the fully mutated version of Subject One." Wisdom said, "The subjects were flown back to the UK for further testing."

"In either case the bloody Indos are going to get more aggressive." Carl remarked.

"Command is prepositioning some strategic reserves into Borneo in case things start to get ugly." Wisdom said.

"Start to get ugly? Bloody hell, they were ugly before I left." Carl replied.

"Where did Susan go?" Moira remarked, noticing the Chinese-American translator wasn't in the room any more.

"She mentioned something about a source in the Victoria Harbor area, near where we suspect the microfilm came from. Perhaps a way to find out more about this mystery serum." Eddie replied.

"Perhaps finding a sample? Or persuading someone to give one up?" Carl remarked.

"She didn't say." Eddie replied as he stuck a thumb tack into the map on the wall.

"There are only two medical labs in the Victoria Harbor area, and another near Kowloon that could match what was on the microfilm." Wisdom remarked.

"They would need a good and steady supply of subjects to inject with this serum to mutate them." Carl replied.

"What better places than a sea port with tons of transients or in a bad part of town, like Kowloon." Moira added, "Places where disappearances wouldn't be noticed or missed."

"And all those people turned into these creatures for some nefarious purpose we don't yet know." Wisdom replied.

"Well the Chinese are heavily involved, or at least somewhat, given the parachute found near Subject One was of Chinese origin." Carl replied.

"I think if it's a biotech company bought out by the Chinese near any of the two areas mentioned those should be our main areas of interest." Moira added.

"I concur." Eddie said, "Hopefully the Hong Kong Station Chief goes for it."

"Why wouldn't he?" Carl asked.

"Mr. Irons is a bit big about maintaining the status quo." Eddie replied, "Pretty conservative with our spying."

"The Chinese are at least as big a threat as the bloody Soviets." Carl replied.

"There is a chance that Radcliffe may disapprove of our theories." Moira said.

"Well, I'd say bollocks to him and pursue our leads if he does disapprove. After all this is a joint British and American operation." Carl replied.

"If we need help, we do need to talk to him. Going rogue is never a good idea." Moira said.

"Understandable, but we do have a job to do." Carl replied.

"I do think there's a better way to win over Mr. Irons without resorting to being rogue or overt deception." Wisdom interjected, "We could always brief two plans. One that will sound like something he likes and another that is our plan and we can do something similar to what we're planning. Sneak it by him, so to speak."

"I do like how you think." Moira remarked.

"It's elementary my dear Moira." Wisdom said with a smile.

"Very nice Sir Arthur Conan Doyle rip off, mate." Carl quipped as they headed over to the anteroom to wait to brief Mr. Irons on their plan.

* * *

MI-6 Official Transmission. Authenticate: Zulu  
Vauxhall Cross, London, United Kingdom  
Matthew Stenner, Sir Jason M. Dench, and Doctor Weaver  
0915 18 April 1963

Doctor Allan T. Weaver, Medical Examiner, followed Admiral Sir Jason M. Dench's secretary into the office where Matthew Stenner and Sir Jason M. Dench sat talking.

"Ah, Doctor Weaver, I trust you're aware of the specimens arriving from Borneo." Dench said as Weaver went in and sat with Stenner and Dench.

"Yes sir." Weaver replied, "From the report from the SAS it looks like it's going to be a good bit of work. Even for my staff."

"I'm quite aware of that, old boy." Stenner replied, "By any chance are you aware of Muir Island?"

"The genetic research facility." Weaver replied, "I'm somewhat familiar with it, yes."

"There is one Doctor Moira Rose MacTaggert, she's the head scientist there, do you know her?" Stenner said.

Weaver paused for a moment, a short pause, but one long enough for Stenner to sense that clearly there was a good bit of emotion connected to Weaver's memory of the name.

"Eh, somewhat." Weaver said, "Long story, old boy."

_I shall have to ask Weaver what he means by that. _Stenner thought. As Weaver sat down, he rubbed the left side of his left thigh, clearly some shrapnel in him from Korea was shifting about.

"I do hope you're feeling better my friend." Stenner said.

"Much, thank you." Weaver said, "If I may, what is this about? I trust not a trip down memory lane."

"Well, we need someone who has been working closely with Subject One to go to Muir Island." Dench interjected, "And as our chief medical examiner you would fit the bill nicely, unless whatever your past relations with Dr. MacTaggert were would be problematic."

"I assure you, sir, they would not." Weaver replied, somewhat defensively, "I suppose the subjects from Borneo are being transferred directly to Muir Island?"

"They'll have a stopover in Heathrow, where they'll be transferred to Muir Island from there. I suggest you be on the flight with them the day after tomorrow when they arrive." Dench said.

"Yes sir." Weaver said, "I'd best be off to advise my staff on what to do in my absence and get packed for my upcoming trip to Scotland."

When Weaver had left Dench turned to Stenner and said, "I am curious if Dr. MacTaggert is any relation to the CIA Agent working with Allenby at the moment."

"I'm quite certain, sir, given MacTaggert is a fairly large Scottish clan, it's not surprising some of their lot headed to the States at some point." Stenner replied, "But that's sort of neither here nor there."

"That would be interesting if they are related." Dench said, "However it wouldn't be the point of Weaver's visit."

"Right." Stenner replied.

"Just what is that whole business between him and Dr. MacTaggert anyway?" Dench replied.

"Honestly, Allan never quite mentioned what precisely transpired in the time he was at Muir Island after World War II." Stenner replied, "All I know was that he went there after Korea and a year later he returned to London."

"I should like to know at some point where all this drama originated, but I'm not one to pry into Allan's affairs. After all he's done us a good bit of work." Dench replied.

* * *

Transmission # 1-9-5-3. Designate Papa  
Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong  
Moira MacTaggert, Carl Allenby, Eddie Bentro and Peter Wisdom  
1350 18 April 1963

"I have to admit, Mr. Wisdom, I'm quite impressed with your powers of persuasion." Carl remarked.

"Leave it to the professionals, mate," Wisdom said as they drove towards the rendezvous they had set up with Susan.

"So who exactly did Susan contact?" Moira asked.

"She has her sources, she's not one to mention who they all are. In this case though she mentioned a family connection." Eddie said as he drove them towards their destination.

Eddie stopped the car just across the street from a small cafe and said, "I'll wait here with the car, but if anything goes wrong..."

"Right, you're our getaway car." Wisdom replied as he, Moira and Carl stepped out of the vehicle to find themselves a seat.

Carl kept an eye on the crowd. It was a mix of Chinese dock workers as well as some management types, European and Chinese alike.

Carl moved his right leg so it rubbed against Moira's calf, to indicate that he had eyes on Susan Ling and her contact. He had sighted Susan Ling sitting at a table talking to an older Chinese man in a rumpled gray suit, one he knew from the CIA files as a middle manager in a genetic research firm, one that had been bought out recently.

Moira smiled, partially because she found the contact pleasant but also because it was her response to that pre-arranged signal.

From his angle Carl could see Susan talking to a Chinese man in a rumpled gray suit. He felt the re-assuring weight of the Browning Hi-Power 9mm underneath his shirt-tail. He knew Moira was armed as well, the CZ-75 9mm hidden at her right hip, at the waistband of her skirt.  
He didn't expect this to turn into a shooting battle, but it always helped to be armed. There was also the Sterling sub machinegun in the briefcase beside Carl's left foot, it was backup, for further firepower.

From where he sat Peter Wisdom could see another vehicle approaching. He'd seen that same white van make at least one pass near the cafe.

"Dickers." Wisdom remarked to Carl and Moira, indicating that someone was clearly taking interest in Susan's activities.

Moira's left hand moved over and clasped a hold of Carl's right, again a signal that she had seen that same van.

Wisdom saw the van stop and saw a group of Chinese men step out of there. They pushed past a couple dock workers, moving towards the table where Susan and her contact were sitting, talking.

"The weather could be getting ugly rather swiftly." Carl remarked. To the casual observer he could easily be discussing the clouds that were on the horizon, but that wasn't the case.

"Lift operation." Wisdom said, "Looks like Susan picked up a tail."

"They're not messing around." Moira said, "They've come in force."

From where she sat Moira could see another vehicle, with three more MSS personnel sitting inside, waiting to grab either Ling or her contact if they somehow evaded the group of nine men headed their way.

The nine men that came out of the van split to spread out in three man teams to try to surround Susan and avoid attracting attention.

"She hasn't seen them." Carl remarked.

"Look alive, it looks like they see us too..." Wisdom said as a car moved towards them. He could see the front and rear passengers fumbling with something underneath the doors. It was then that he saw the machine pistols coming up, silencers screwed onto the barrels.

"Watch out!" Wisdom shouted as he pointed his hand at the car. As he aimed his hand white hot knives came flying out of it. Two of them struck home on the two MSS gunmen in the car and the third hit the vehicle's gas tank, blowing it up.

The explosion caused bystanders to flee in all directions. Moira ducked behind a concrete planter, right next to Carl. Her eyes scanned the crowd and she ducked as gunfire narrowly missed her. Popping out from the other side of the planted Moira took aim and fired her weapon, sending the MSS gunman diving for cover. Moira ducked back behind the planter, resisting the temptation to try and hunt the gunman down.

She had been right to do so as more rounds smacked into the planter. The bursts of fire told her someone was shooting an automatic. Moira saw Carl yanking the Sterling sub machinegun out of the briefcase, loading the magazine in and yanking back the bolt.

She tapped Carl's right shoulder, "Cover me."

Carl said, "Right."

She saw him pop up, firing in short, controlled bursts of fire and in that instant she saw a stone vase, just large enough for her to crouch behind and went running for it.

_Ok, so wearing heels wasn't the smartest idea today. But it's not like I was expecting to get into the Gunfight at the OK Corral. _Moira thought as she narrowly avoided falling over as she got behind the stone vase.

Carl stole a glance over his shoulder, making sure Moira had gotten to cover. _Bloody Hell, mate, hold it together. Don't bloody fuss over her. _

He could see Susan Ling had grabbed her contact and ducked underneath a table, trying to crawl towards the bar of the cafe as several MSS agents were making a beeline for her. One of them nearly got close enough, only to get shot by Moira from behind the vase.

_Good shooting. _Carl thought as he gunned down a second MSS agent with a burst from the Sterling.

Peter Wisdom lobbed a pair of hot knives at two more MSS agents trying to flank Carl. They'd ascertained Carl was the greater threat because of the sub machinegun he was carrying, they'd never even factored Peter's powers.

Carl noticed an MSS man with an assault rifle in company with a couple others coming out of a building. He let out several bursts at them, injuring one while the other ducked behind cover and then loosed off a hail of bullets.

Carl ducked before racing over towards a small statue near the corner. Moira fired a couple shots at the MSS men, only to duck herself when the rifleman let a burst of gunfire her way.

Carl swiftly reloaded the Sterling and let another burst fly at the rifleman, killing him. He could still see Susan and her contact ducked behind the bar and evidently Moira had seen the same thing.

"Susan! This way!" Moira shouted, poking her head around the planter just long enough to do so.

Carl let fly with another burst of gunfire, more to keep the Chinese agents' heads down to keep them from targeting Moira or Susan and her contact. He saw Susan and her contact get into the car, as well as Moira. He waited till Moira was safely in the car before racing over to it himself and getting in.

"Susan, just who is this contact of yours?" Moira asked.

"He's a geneticist at Worrel Genetics, one of the companies bought out by the Chinese." Susan said, gasping for air shortly after they'd piled into the vehicle and Eddie drove them safely away from the ensuing chaos.

* * *

MI-6 Official Transmission. Authenticate: Hotel  
Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr  
New York City, NY  
1200 18 April 1963

"It is good to see you again, old friend." Erik Lensherr said as he approached the outdoor cafe in New York City near Central Park.

"Erik, I suppose you want to know why I asked to see you." Charles said, sitting in his wheelchair.

"The thought had crossed my mind, Charles." Erik said.

"I'm not sure if you've heard, but I've come across some disturbing news." Charles said.

"And what would that be?" Erik replied, raising both eyebrows as he joined Charles at the table he was sitting at.

"I've heard rumor of an encounter British forces have had in Borneo. With a mutant. Or several mutants. Have you been..." Charles began.

"Charles I have no activity in Borneo whatsoever." Erik replied.

"What of the Hellfire Club? What activity have you heard of?" Charles asked.

"Nothing I'm aware of, Charles. Even with my former inside source." Erik replied, speaking of Emma Frost.

Since he couldn't wear his helmet in public without being seen, he'd taken the sensible precaution of having Emma in the area to prevent any unwanted telepathic probes into his mind. Yes Charles was an old friend, but owing to their sometimes differing views a bit of caution was necessary.

"Remember Cerebro?" Charles said.

"The machine invented by Dr. McCoy currently at the CIA's facility in Langley." Erik said, "You are aware it has been destroyed."

"Yes. I've heard, and it was during an attack by your associates." Charles replied.

"Care to elaborate where this is headed, Charles?" Erik said.

"It's simple, Erik, I need your help." Charles replied.

"Cerebro? You want to rebuild it." Erik said, connecting the dots immediately, "Why?"

"Erik, this issue the British encountered is troubling. Especially since signs point to mutant involvement." Charles replied.

"And what help do you need from me, old friend?" Erik replied.

"To create Cerebro Dr. McCoy needs a good bit of equipment for working metal. A large amount of equipment that would draw undue attention to my facility." Charles replied.

"However, a visit from an old friend would draw little if any comment." Erik replied, "Very clever, Charles."

"Erik, regardless of our differences, will you help me? This could help me keep abreast of anything happening. You know that whatever the British found in Borneo they'll share with the CIA. And this could be a problem for all mutantkind." Charles asked.

"I will help you, Charles, but only under one condition. That you not use Cerebro to help any human government locate any mutants for any reason." Erik said.

"I wouldn't dream of such a thing, Erik." Charles protested.

"Charles, you do have a tendency to work closely with the humans even if they show no desire to work with us." Erik replied, "Anyway I will help you, provided you keep to my one condition."

"You have my word, Erik." Charles replied.

"I will help you, Charles." Erik replied, "But I will also hold you to your word."

* * *

Transmission #1-7-9-2. Designate: Romeo.  
Moira MacTaggert, Susan Ling, Carl Allenby, and Eddie Bentro  
American Embassy, Hong Kong  
1752 18 April 1963

"I get a call from upstairs," the portly Brian Irons, the forty-two year old Station Chief of the CIA Hong Kong station replied, "Detailing you four were involved in a shootout in a cafe."

Susan Ling, Moira MacTaggert, Carl Allenby and Eddie Bentro were sitting across the ornate hardwood desk of one the Station Chief.

"Look, sir," Moira began, "Susan had a contact in the area, one that was important to our investigation and then we came under attack."

"That's right." Carl added, "Every one of our statements says something to that effect."

"Shooting up a cafe as the result a confrontation with the Ministry of State Security, with the Chinese up in arms about this whole state of affairs is not what I'd call a discrete operation." Irons replied, raising his voice.

"Sir, I..." Moira began.

"That's quite enough, MacTaggert. I'm half tempted to send a cable to Director McCone with a recommendation to put you back into the typing pool. But because this is a mission from the top, I can't do that." Irons said, "I can, however, make sure that this incident goes into your file."

Irons lit a cigarette after speaking and Moira reflexively winced and Carl reached over to clasp her hand. Moira felt a good bit of comfort from the act, despite what Irons was saying about her.

_That bastard! _Moira thought. _We save an important contact who we should be debriefing only to get called into his office to be yelled at for defending ourselves? _

She felt Carl clasp her hand just then. _Was I that obvious? _

"MacTaggert, you're just as impulsive and recalcitrant as your mother was back during World War II." Irons replied.

Moira let out a slight gasp. Carl looked like he was going to stand up and brain Irons and Eddie looked like he was about to stop the British officer from doing that.

"Sir, with all due respect." Carl spat back out, "I fail to see how anything to do with Agent MacTaggert's mother has any bearing on the present circumstances."

"In terms of recklessness I'll argue plenty. Like mother like daughter. I mean truly, stripping down to your underwear to sneak into a club." Irons said, "It appears you've got quite the reputation, MacTaggert."

"I understand you've got a bit of a reputation." Carl said, "I do believe a yellow badge of cowardice is associated with your name."

Irons bristled at Carl's remark but recovered saying, "I know you and Allenby are basically playing house on this mission from on high, and I'm supposed to help you in any way I can but don't even think about making another mess like that again. There'll be hell to pay if you do. Dismissed."

The four agents walked out of the room, Moira looking visibly upset. Carl headed over to her, "He's a wanker."

Moira said, "He is, but unfortunately he's got a lot of power."

"I would think since the Director of your agency trusted you with this mission Irons can't be that great of a hazard other than the odd insult." Carl replied as they stepped outside into the car.

"I know, he's just a jerk, but those comments about my Mom..." Moira began.

"Bloody stupid, I know." Carl remarked.

"They hurt, and what's the worst thing is people always bringing my mother's supposed recklessness in whenever I'm criticized about anything." Moira replied.

"You handled it quite well." Carl remarked, "I honestly was ready to clock him."

"As much as he might deserve it, that might constitute an international incident." Moira said.

"And an official rebuke and possible issues of cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom." Carl replied, "I do see your point, however I'm certain the feeling of my knuckles into that individual's fat face could well induce good feeling on my part."

"Until you get replaced," Moira quipped, "And my agency is scrambling around to create another cover story for me, as to why I mysteriously have a new husband."

"In final analysis, then, clocking Irons wouldn't quite be nearly as fulfilling as initially planned." Carl said.

"I definitely would agree." Moira replied as they stopped at the hotel and stepped out. Carl offered Moira his arm after closing the car door.

Moira took the arm as they walked into the Peninsula Hotel lobby and waited at the elevator. After stepping inside Carl said, "So what can you tell me about your Mum?"

"I was only seven years old when she left home, and I didn't know she'd joined the Office of Strategic Services until I joined the CIA." Moira replied, "It's amazing what you can find out in the typing pool."

"What happened?" Carl asked.

"Mom went to Langley to receive a briefing before she got taken west to California and then Hawaii before she met her contact and on a mission into China." Moira replied, "And it was after she went to China that all records of her are lost. The only thing I could see of her was that she was missing, presumed dead."

Carl could see the clear emotional distress in Moira's eyes as she spoke and instinctively put his arms around her. Moira sniffled slightly and continued, "I don't know if Mom's still alive somewhere in a Chinese prison camp or if she's lying in a shallow grave somewhere along the Yangtze River."

"I can't imagine what you've gone through and what you're going through, honestly, Moira." Carl replied, as he held her in his arms, "I can promise I'll be there for you, for whatever you may need me for."

Moira smiled wanly, touched by the Englishman's affection as they made it to their floor. The elevator stopped and they parted long enough for Carl to slide his arm around her waistline as they walked towards the room they shared.

Carl reached over to turn on the radio in their room as Moira headed behind the room divider to get undressed before throwing on her bathrobe. He noted with some irony that the song _Falling in Love With You _by Elvis Presley was playing.

It rather aptly described exactly how he felt about Moira. He had fallen in love with her in a matter of a few days. Looking at it from a completely logical viewpoint it wasn't hard to discern why. Moira was attractive to damn near any man's eyes, that much was true. He'd always found intelligence in women to be very attractive and there was that mix of strength and vulnerability she had that put the nail in the coffin.

Moira headed over to the bathroom, and even after having closed the door was able to hear Elvis' crooning over the radio. She hung her bathrobe on a hook near the door before climbing into the tub and turning on the showerhead.

It had been a trying day for her, emotionally and somewhat physically. She mused on that briefly as she felt the hot water flowing over her body from the showerhead. Carl had been a great guy to her throughout all of the last few days. But she didn't want to rush, after all last time she did rush Joe had happened.

_Will you stop it! _Moira chided herself. _Carl's been nothing like Joe since you've known him. He's a good man who obviously cares about you. _

Moira turned off the shower head and soaped herself down before turning on the shower again to rinse herself off. She took a towel from the rack and dried herself before going out of the bathroom, behind the room divider and getting herself dressed.

Carl passed by her after she'd gotten dressed and he was holding a folded piece of paper in his hand.

"From Chang. He's working down in the hotel casino tonight." Carl said.

Moira thought for a moment, "Hmm, could be another way to get information."

"My thoughts exactly." Carl said, "Given we'll likely run across some MSS blokes we'd best be on our guard. After all, Bao is often visiting that casino."

"And let me guess, Chang's working his party?" Moira said.

"Precisely. The lad's fairly willing to help us." Carl replied.

"I just hope he doesn't get himself into trouble for playing spy." Moira said, "He's just barely out of boyhood. I hope he realizes this is for keeps."

"I'm sure he's like any young bloke." Carl replied as he went to the bathroom to shower and get dressed himself.

* * *

MI-6 Official Transmission  
Moira MacTaggert and Carl Allenby  
Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong  
2230 18 April 1963

"I see our boy." Moira said as she leaned over to Carl and whispered into his ear.

"Right." Carl said as he snaked an arm around Moira's waist, ostensibly to keep up their legend as a married couple and also because touching Moira felt good.

Moira smiled about the touch, it just felt so natural. _Well if you consider being on an undercover mission natural..._Moira thought.

"Looks like he's got a prime opportunity." Carl whispered into Moira's ear. They could see Chang working the table where Boquin Bao and several other identifiable MSS agents sat.

"We'd better be careful as to what we say around Chang. Who knows if the MSS has him as a double agent." Moira replied.

"True. And given he already knows who we are, we'd best assume the Chinese know somewhat who we are." Carl replied.

"We'd best stick with our legend just in case." Moira said just as Carl turned towards her to kiss her lightly on the lips.

_Now that's a legend I don't mind playing. _Moira thought to herself. _Not the least of which is because the guy who I'm 'playing house' with is a great guy. _

"I'll be right back." Carl said, after the gentle kiss to her lips.

"Mhm, do hurry." Moira said with a demure smile. _That felt good, gentle but enough to keep me interested. I could get used to it. _

Carl headed over to the men's room to check the dead drop Chang and he knew about. He entered the restroom, making sure the coast was clear before he checked for the wet floor sign that was canted to one side. He found the folded piece of paper hidden behind a loose wall tile, reading its contents and stuffing it into a pocket.

Moira took a quick peripheral glance as she noticed Chang walking over to Bao's party. He seemed to be making some sort of small talk as he served their drinks and Moira made a mental note to ask him about it when she saw him next.

"Miss me?" Carl said as he walked over to where Moira leaned against the bar.

"Hm, you weren't gone _that_long, but for what it's worth...yes." Moira replied as she sidled up a little closer.

Carl wrapped his right arm around her waist holding her close to him as he whispered, "Doesn't look like Chang's been fingered."

He lightly kissed her lips as Moira thought, _It's a good thing we both know we've got work to do, otherwise I would be so tempted to suggest we go upstairs and...who am I kidding, I'd probably grab you by the tie and pull you to the elevator._

Moira quickly stole a sideways glance towards Bao's party to try and get those very steamy thoughts about the British Army officer out of her head.

"It looks like Chang's just going about his business, who knows what information he could be mining." Moira remarked, her lips close to his left ear.

"Right, I did get a note from him." Carl remarked, "We'll talk that out later tonight."

"I see they've got company." Moira remarked as she laid eyes on Lifen Wu walking towards them.

Every inch of the woman screamed temptress, but Moira could see with the other woman's lean musculature that she was also quite athletic. _No wonder she's said to be Bao's most deadly assassin. _Moira thought.

Moira noticed the sidelong glance and the smile that Wu was given Carl and Carl seemed to have sensed that too as he wrapped his arm around Moira's waistline and turned her towards him to kiss her lightly on the lips as if to reassure her.

_Ok, so I'm a bit taller, longer legged, and I think an equal in the bra department. _Moira thought. _And that kiss, though light, definitely took. So I think it's safe to say that he's into me. _

Carl noticed, out of the corner of his eye, Peter Wisdom walking into the room and noticing him shooting a glance his way. After breaking from the kiss he lightly whispered into her ear, saying, "I'll be right back, love."

"I'll hold you to it." Moira replied with a smile. She noticed Peter Wisdom standing not too far away.

Moira sat at the bar and noticed that Boquin Bao was heading towards her. A peripheral glance told her one or two of his MSS friends had moved elsewhere in the casino. At least one of them she could see out of the corner of her eye.

"Can I buy you a drink, Miss?" Bao asked, with a smile.

"I'm sure I wouldn't mind, but my husband would." Moira replied with a smile.

"Husband? You're married?" Bao said.

Moira demurely showed him her left hand. The ring was prominent. _I do wish it wasn't just a cover story, though. _Moira thought to herself.

"Oh," Bao said, with a bemused smile, "I should have realized. A beautiful woman such as yourself. If I didn't know better, I would have imagined you a spy of some sort."

Bao's last sentence sent a chill up Moira's spine, and it was all she could do to maintain her composure, "No, just a newlywed." Moira replied, with a smile and introduced herself, "Emily Arlington."

She caught a glimpse of Carl tossing a glance her direction. He didn't appear to stiffen or seem upset, but he definitely seemed interested in cutting his conversation with Peter Wisdom short. He appeared to be giving Bao the evil eye.

"Boquin Bao." Bao said, taking Moira's hand and giving it a kiss, "I believe that's an old fashioned tradition, but appropriate."

Moira gave a demure smile, "I do think it's been ages since anyone has done that to greet a woman."

Carl finished his conversation with Peter Wisdom before going over to Moira, "Hey, sorry I'm late, love, but Uncle Peter was unfortunately a bit long winded."

Carl lightly kissed Moira on the lips and Moira felt her heart racing. _It's a good thing you didn't go for a deeper kiss, mister or I think we would be on fast trip upstairs. _Moira thought.

"And who's this gentleman here?" Carl asked.

"Boquin Bao," the MSS operative said smoothly, "I just made an acquaintance of your lovely wife."

"So it would seem." Carl replied.

"Your wife was just telling me you were on your honeymoon." Bao said, "So how are you finding Hong Kong thus far?"

"Quite lovely." Carl replied.

"It is quite a lovely city, with plenty of good times to be had, but also several hazards if you're not careful. I bid you a good evening." Bao said as he left with his group.

After he'd left Moira whispered to Carl, "Do you think he knows?"

"Given he's been observing the area, probably. But I'm not sure he's confirmed us. I expect he'll check our known contacts. I wouldn't say were burned." Carl replied, saying that he wasn't sure they were compromised, "But as always let's stay on our guard."

"Agreed." Moira replied.

* * *

To Be Continued...


End file.
